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Tr[HI@R«^§    ©©©KE    iPAyn, 


Am  en  can  Si 


SKETCH 


LIFE  AND  CHARACTER 


THOMAS  COOKE  PAUL, 

SON  OF  D^AKCY  PAUL, 

OF  PETERSBURG,  VA. 


VMTTEN    FOB    THE    AMERICAN    SUKUAT-SCHOOI,    UNIOy, 

BY  REV.   E.   D.   SANDERS. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
AMERICAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL    UNION, 

No.  146   CHESTNUT   STREET. 

IfEWrORK:  No.  147  NASSAU  STREET BOSTON:  No.  9  COBNHILL LOUISVlLLEi 

No.  103  FOURTH  STREET. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849,  by  the 

AMERICAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   UNION, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of 
Pennsylyania. 


JS^  No  books  are  published  by  the  American  Sundat-school  Union 
without  the  sanction  of  the  Committee  of  Publication,  consisting  of 
fourteen  members,  from  the  following  denominations  of  Christians,  Tiz. 
Baptist  Methodist,  Congregationalist,  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  and  Ke- 
formed  Dutch.  Not  more  than  three  of  the  members  can  be  of  the 
same  denomination,  and  no  book  can  be  published  to  which  any  mem- 
ber of  the  Committee  shall  object. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

Chap.  I. — His  Birth  and  Relatives  -       5 

II. — His     Religious     Hopes. — His 

Personal  Appearance  -         -     12 
III. — His  Intellectual  Qualities        -     18 
ly. — His  Manner  in  Conversation  -     27 
V. — His  Regard  for  the   Bible  in 

his  Childhood     -        -         -     33 
VI. — His  Regard  for  the  Bible  in 

his  Youth  -         -        -        .     39 
VII. — His  Attention  to  the  duty  of 

Prayer       -         -         -         -     46 
VIII. — His  Attention  to  Family  Wor- 
ship   and    other    Religious 
Observances       -        -         -     53 
IX. — His  Interest  in  Missionaries    -     60 
X. — His  Regard  for   Ministers  of 

the  Gospel  -        -        -     67 

XI. — Thomas  and  his  Teachers        -     76 

XII.— Thomas  with  his  Father  -     84 

3 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page 

Chap.  XIII. — Thomas  and  his  Mother    - ;  95 
XIV.— His  Regard  for  the  Poor  -  107 
XV. — Particular  Acts  of  Kind- 
ness to  the  Poor   -        -  113 
XVI. — His   Intercourse  with  the 

Young      .    -        -         -  119 

XVII.— Thomas  and  the  Servants    127 

XVIII.— Thomas  at  School    -        -  136 

XIX. — His  Neatness  -         -        -  144 

XX.— His  Politeness  -         -  152 

XXI. — His  Devotion  to  the  Cause 

of  Temperance     -        -  160 
XXII. — An  Extract  from  his  Ad- 
dress on  Temperance    -  166 
XXIII.— His  Last  Illness       -         -  172 
XXIV. — An   Important    Conversa- 
tion    -        -        -        -  181 
XXV.—"  The  Thomas  C.  Paul  Fe- 
male Orphan  Asylum"-  189 
XXVL— His  Dea.th       -        -        -  198 
XXVII.— His  Uncle's  Letter  -         -  205 
XXVIIL— Remarks  by  his  Physician  212 
XXIX. — Remarks  upon  his  Charac- 
ter by  his  Pastor-         -  219 
.  XXX. — Resolutions  passed  at  his 

Death         -        -        ••  225 


THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  I. 

HIS    BIRTH    AND    RELATIVES. 

My  dear  James, — Since  your  great 
bereavement,  it  lias  for  the  first 
time  occurred  to  my  mind,  in  de- 
siring to  impart  consolation  and 
improvement  to  you,  to  write  you 
a  short  series  of  letters  containing 
an  account  of  Thomas  Cooke  Paul, 
the  most  remarkable  youth  for  piety 
and  excellence  I  ever  knew.  This 
is  saying  much  in  his  praise,  as  my 
acquaintance  with  the  young  has 

1*  5 


6  THOMAS  C.  PAUL, 

been  very  extensive,  especially  dur- 
ing the  years  since  I  entered  the 
ministry.  Evidently  prepared  for 
that  glorious  world,  to  which,  doubt- 
less, your  deeply  lamented  and  de- 
votedly pious  mother  has  so  recently 
gone,  he  was  called  from  this  life  at 
an  age  but  little  greater  than  your 
own.  He  was  removed  to  enjoy 
higher  happiness,  as  we  trust,  in 
the  midst  of  brighter  scenes ;  just 
as  we  have  known  a  choice  plant 
transferred  to  unfold  its  beauties  in 
some  more  lovely  spot.  I  also  hope 
that  your  kind  father,  the  endeared 
companion  of  my  youth,  and  my  con- 
stant friend  in  manhood,  may  find 
some  solace  to  the  bitterness  of  his 
grief,  in  reading  this  narrative  with 
you,  and  in  making  his  own  reflec- 


HIS    BIRTH    AND    RELATIVES.  7 

tions.  And  I  have  no  doubt,  from 
what  I  am  happy  to  learn  of  your 
disposition  and  habits,  you  will 
listen  to  his  remarks  with  the  most 
respectful  attention,  especially  as  he 
has,  in  the  character  of  a  good  father 
and  of  a  faithful  minister,  a  two- 
fold claim  upon  your  reverence  and 
love.  Ton  may  rely  implicitly  on 
all  the  statements  that  I  shall  make 
respecting  Thomas,  for  I  Avrote  out 
the  facts  soon  after  his  death,  with 
the  intention  of  publishing  a  brief 
sketch  of  his  life.  I  also  noted 
down  many  of  his  striking  remarks, 
as  nearly  exact  as  it  was  possible 
to  record  them.  Tet  I  shall  be 
able  to  give  you  but  a  very  small 
portion  of  his  observations,  which, 
from    their    richness    and    beauty, 


8  THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

were  like  ''apples  of  gold  in  pic- 
tures of  silver.'^  It  is  my  hope 
that  you  will  find  these  letters  enter- 
taining. We  know  that  intelligent 
persons  are  deeply  interested  in  the 
biographies  of  extraordinary  men. 
Why  should  not  the  young  be  de- 
lighted with  biographies  of  distin- 
guished youth?  l^fow,  for  reasons 
very  easily  explained,  we  find  in  our 
libraries  many  lives  of  men  and  but 
very  few  of  youth. 

Few  distinguish  themselves  in 
early  life,  and  of  this  number  few 
die  young.  And  but  very  few  of 
this  limited  class  find  a  biographer 
to  record  their  excellencies.  As 
there  is  a  manifest  scarcity  of  this 
kind  of  books,  I  have  often  wished 
that  the  young  of  our  country,  and 


HIS    BIRTH    AND    RELATIVES.  9 

indeed  of  the  world,  could  have  a 
Ml  and  just  account  of  Thomas  C. 
Paul. 

He  Avas  the  fourth  son  of  D'Arcy 
and  Elizabeth  S.  Paul,  and  was 
born  in  the  town  of  Petersburg, 
Virginia,  September  3,  1831.  He 
died  June  2,  1845.  In  this  short 
life  of  thirteen  years  and  nine 
months,  it  is  believed,  he  accom- 
plished much,  through  grace,  for 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  welfare 
of  mankind. 

His  father,  an  extensive  mer- 
chant, was  compelled,  from  his  nu- 
merous engagements,  both  of  a 
religious  and  secular  nature,  to  give 
up  the  direction  of  his  early  train- 
ing in  a  very  great  degree,  (as  is 
usually  the  case,)    to  his   mother. 


10  THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

As  mothers  generally  have  so  much 
to  do  with  their  children  at  a  jDcriod 
when  impressions  are  the  most 
abiding,  you  readily  perceive,  young 
as  you  are,  how  important  it  is  that 
they  should  be  not  only  very  pious, 
but  also  well-informed. 

Thomas  had  no  sister.  His  affec- 
tionate heart  would  have  loved  one 
most  tenderly.  His  youngest  bro- 
ther died  in  early  childhood.  He 
always  spoke  of  him  as  being  in 
heaven.  Just  before  he  himself 
was  called  away,  he  expressed  the 
joyful  hope  of  soon  meeting  him  in 
heaven. 

As  his  two  surviving  brothers 
were  much  older  than  himself,  he 
was,  in  respect  to  companionship 
whilst  young,  almost  in  tlie  situa- 


HIS    BIRTH    AND    RELATIVES.         11 

tion  of  an  only  child.  Now,  James, 
you  are  yourself  an  only  child,  and 
as  you  also  were  so  long  blessed 
with  the  constant  and  kind  atten- 
tions of  a  devoted  and  godly  mother, 
and  as  you  are  likewise  favoured 
with  the  watchful  care  of  a  pious 
father,  you  can  very  easily  imagine 
his  situation  in  life. 


12  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 


LETTER  11. 

HIS     RELIGIOUS     HOPES — HIS     PERSONAL 
APPEARANCE. 

My  DEAR  James, — In  my  previous 
letter  you  were  informed  of  a  strik- 
ing similarity  in  the  allotments  of 
Providence  to  yourself  and  to  Tho- 
mas C.  Paul.  It  grieves  me  deeply 
to  think  of  another  point  of  resem- 
blance. I  allude  to  it,  that  I .  may 
suggest  a  few  most  consoling  reflec- 
tions. As  he  and  his  mother  have 
been  separated,  so  are  you  now 
parted  from  that  dear  parent  whom 
you  so  fondly  and  so  justly  loved. 
Now,  as  his  mother  confidently  be- 
lieves that  her  child  is  inexpressibly 
happy,  and  as  she  would  not  raise 


HIS    RELIGIOUS    HOPES.  13 

a  hand  to  have  him  brought  back 
to  this  world  of  disappointment,  so 
may  you  feel  in  respect  to  your  ex- 
emplary mother. 

She  offered  many  prayers  for  you. 
It  is  your  privilege  to  hope  that 
they  will  be  answered.  She  trained 
you  to  excellent  habits.  These 
habits  you  can,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
confirm.  She  gave  you  many  choice 
precepts.  These  precepts  you  must 
strive  to  remember  and  follow.  0 
then  how  joyfully,  beyond  any  thing 
we  can  conceive,  will  you  go  to  her ! 
Thus  David  consoled  himself,  when 
he  said  of  his  deceased  child,  ''I 
shall  go  to  him.'^ 

It  was  a  delightful  thought,  re- 
peatedly expressed  by  this  pious 
youth,  that  he  would  soon  be  re- 


14  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 

united  to  his  beloved  mother  and 
other  religious  friends.  He  had, 
through  faith,  a  full  assurance  to 
speak  of  this  anticipated  pleasure 
as  confidently  as  if  he  had  been 
about  to  sail  for  a  residence  in 
Europe,  with  arrangements  already- 
made  for  them  to  follow  him  after 
a  short  season. 

For  many  months  previous  to  his 
last  illness,  no  one,  perhaps,  wit- 
nessed more  of  his  intellectual  and 
moral  excellencies  than  myself.  At 
my  first  interview  with  him,  I  was 
struck  with  the  intelligent  and  be- 
nevolent cast  of  his  countenance. 
These  favourable  impressions  were 
subsequently  deepened  by  every  de- 
velopment of  his  active  intellect 
and  warm  heart. 


HIS    PERSONAL   APPEARANCE.        15 

As  I  have  many  things  to  say  of 
him,  it  may  not  be  uninteresting 
to  give  you  some  idea  of  his  ap- 
pearance. In  size,  he  was  small  for 
his  age,  but  of  a  remarkably  grace- 
ful and  well-proportioned  form.  As 
he  paid  unusual  attention  to  his 
manners  and  to  personal  neatness, 
he  had  an  air  of  gentility  and  re- 
finement. 

His  features  were  delicate  and 
regular.  His  complexion  was  very 
fair,  and  generally  too  pale  to  indi- 
cate the  best  health.  He  had  a 
high  expansive  forehead,  and  clear 
blue  eyes  of  unusual  animation. 
There  was  in  his  countenance  the 
manifest  stamp  of  a  lively  mind 
and  a  kindly  disposition,   with   a 


16  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 

beaming  expression  of  hope  and 
clieerfulness. 

This  assemblage  of  agreeable  fea- 
tures made  his  personal  appearance 
interesting.  But  you  know  that  in 
our  world  something  is  almost  al- 
ways wanting  to  complete  a  perfect 
picture.  Had  he  possessed  a  fuller 
habit  and  a  ruddy  complexion,  he 
would  have  been  called  singularly 
handsome. 

But  of  how  very  little  importance 
are  beauty  and  elegance,  compared 
with  a  pure  heart  and  a  preparation 
for  death!  Had  his  person  been 
tenfold  more  lovely  and  attractive, 
his  elegant  appearance  could  not 
have  prolonged  life.  Now,  as  I 
have  described  him  as  he  iirst  ap- 
peared to  me,  I  will  close  this  letter 


HIS    PERSONAL   APPEARANCE.        17 

with  a  brief  account  of  my  last  in- 
terview with  him. 

He  was  reclining  on  a  couch, 
resting  his  head  on  his  hand.  I 
never  saw  his  eye  brighter,  nor  his 
countenance  more  placid.  I  had 
the  great  pleasure  of  seeing  a  sweet 
smile  on  his  features,  (which  had 
become  as  pale,  and,  from  his  fair 
comiDlexion,  as  white  as  the  human 
face  ever  appears.)  To  my  ques- 
tion, "What  can  I  do  for  you,  Tho- 
mas?'^ he  replied,  ''Pray  for  me,  if 
you  please,'^  and  added,  with  a 
cheerful,  affectionate  look,  and  in  a 
confident,  tender  tone,  "The  grave 
has  no  gloom  for  me.'^ 


2* 


18  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 


LETTER  III. 

HIS    INTELLECTUAL    QUALITIES. 

My  DEAR  James, — It  will  be  in- 
teresting to  you,  perliai:)S,  to  receive 
some  definite  knowledge  respecting 
the  character  of  Thomas's  mind, 
and  the  extent  of  his  acquirements. 
His  features,  as  I  have  already 
mentioned,  were  strikingly  intel- 
lectual. His  bright,  beaming  coun- 
tenance, his  meditative  aspect  and 
inquisitive  look,  plainly  indicated 
an  active  ajid  vigorous  understand- 
ing. 

His  close  discriminating  atten- 
tion to  passing  occurrences  of  an 
interesting  nature,  to  the  neglect  of 


HIS    INTELLECTUAL    QUALITIES.      19 

trifles  however  amusing,  was  pecu- 
liarly characteristic.  In  the  parlour 
and  in  the  public  assembly,  he  al- 
ways appeared  as  a  most  intent  and 
absorbed  listener.  Thus  he  early 
acquired  a  vast  amount  of  import- 
ant information,  and  formed  the 
inestimable  habit  of  selecting  ob- 
jects most  worthy  of  notice. 

So  great  was  his  attention  to  all 
public  speakers,  and  especially  min- 
isters, that  he  often  surjDrised  his 
friends,  by  repeating,  in  his  own 
language,  the  facts  and  sentiments 
to  which  he  had  listened.  Extraor- 
dinary attention  makes  an  extra- 
ordinary memory.  The  memory, 
by  habitual  attentiveness,  may  be 
strengthened  to  a  surprising  extent. 
In  most  persons  it  is  far  more  sus- 


20  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 

ceptible  of  improvement  than  any- 
other  faculty  of  the  mind. 

With  this  habit  of  close  observa- 
tion, he  had  constantly  enjoyed,  at 
home  and  abroad,  the  society  of 
many  highly  intelligent  and  culti- 
vated minds.  He  had,  from  his 
earliest  years,  spent  much  time  with 
various  clergymen,  to  whom  he  was 
especially  attached.  He  had  long 
read  histories,  biographies,  narra- 
tives and  the  current  news  of  the 
day,  with  intense  interest.  Conse- 
quently he  had  accumulated  an 
amount  of  general  information  al- 
together unusual  in  one  of  his  years. 

Now,  James,  would  you  like  to 
know  how  his  parents  and  friends 
cultivated  this  disposition  to  ac- 
quire knowledge  ?     They  took  pains 


HIS    INTELLECTUAL   QUALITIES.      21 

to  awaken  his  curiosity,  by  remarks 
and  questions.  They  gave  instruct- 
ive answers  to  his  inquiries.  Some- 
times they  referred  him  to  an  inte- 
resting article  in  a  book  or  news- 
paper. Most  children  thus  trained 
from  the  first,  will  be  regarded  as 
naturally  gifted  with  a  love  of  know- 
ledge. But  how  many  youths  are 
sadly  complained  of  for  their  stupid 
dulness,  their  aversion  to  books, 
and  their  extreme  fondness  of  low, 
degrading  pleasures.  Some  of  this 
class,  it  must  be  admitted,  were  na- 
turally deficient.  But  many  more 
belong  to  it  for  want  of  pains  to  in- 
struct them,  and  to  draw  out  their 
inquiries.  Perhaps  they  have  been 
silenced  by  brief,  impatient,  or  dis- 
couraging answers. 


22  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 

His  habit  of  attentiveness  merits 
this  notice,  for  it  lay  at  the  founda- 
tion of  all  his  attainments.  He 
turned  it  to  every  matter  in  hand. 
He  pursued  nothing  which  he  could 
not  pursue  with  interest.  He  en- 
tered with  his  whole  soul  upon  every 
study. 

He  made  himself  master  of  all 
the  ordinary  branches  of  an  English 
education.  He  scarcely  evinced  the 
slightest  preference  for  one  study 
over  another.  He  knew  they  were 
all  necessary,  and  whatever  was 
necessary  would,  at  its  own  pro- 
per time,  receive  his  undivided  at- 
tention. 

Had  his  life  been  spared,  he 
would  doubtless  have  made  great 
progress  in  mathematical  and  phi- 


HIS    INTELLECTUAL   QUALITIES.       23 

losophical  studies.  He  loved  them. 
But  lie  had  made  greater  advance- 
ment in  knowledge  of  the  languages. 
He  learned  them  with  facility. 
When  interrupted  by  his  last  ill- 
ness, he  was  daily  making  rapid  pro- 
gress in  Latin,  Greek,  and  French. 
But  in  these  studies  many  per- 
sons have  made  greater  attain- 
ments at  his  age.  He  had  laid  a 
good  foundation  in  accuracy,  and  in 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  first  prin- 
ciples. But  his  parents  had  not  in- 
judiciously stimulated  him  to  extra- 
ordinary efforts.  His  knowledge  of 
the  English  language  was  probably 
the  greatest  of  all  his  intellectual  at- 
tainments. He  wrote  it  and  spoke 
it  uniformly  with  great  accuracy. 
I  do  not  recollect  ever  to  have  heard 


24  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 

from  him,  during  our  long  and  fre- 
quent intercourse,  a  single  inaccu- 
rate expression. 

He  conversed  with  fluency.  He 
argued,  either  in  the  debating  so- 
ciety or  in  conversation,  with  close- 
ness. He  declaimed  with  so  much 
gracefulness  of  manner,  in  a  voice 
so  weir  modulated,  and  with  an 
animation  so  natural,  that  an  artist; 
who  took  a  picture  of  him,  and  ex- 
hibited it  at  the  window,  inscribed 
beneath  it,  ''The  Young  Orator.^' 
For  one. of  his  years,  he  was  the 
best  debater  and  declaimer  that  I 
ever  knew. 

There  is  an  erroneous  opinion 
that  children  and  youth  of  remark- 
able talents  and  attainments  are, 
necessarily,  very  short-lived.     Hun- 


HIS    INTELLECTUAL   QUALITIES.      25 

dreds  of  cases  can  be  quoted,  of 
remarkable  youth  who  lived  to  ac- 
complish great  results.  Of  these, 
I  will  mention  John  Milton,  Alex- 
ander Pope,  Isaac  Watts,  Sir  Wil- 
liam Jones,  and  Eobert  Hall. 

The  truth  is,  all  delicate  children, 
whether  their  minds  are  active  or 
dull,  require  especial  attention,  and 
should  not  be  too  much  confined. 
No  sickly  child  should,  by  any 
means,  be  urged  on  to  great  efforts. 
In  some  cases,  no  doubt,  disease 
itself  stimulates  the  mind,  as  a  great 
injury  done  to  a  tree  will  hasten 
the  maturity  of  its  imperfect  fruit. 

Many  a  parent,  who  is  delighted 
with  the  advancement  of  a  sickly 
child,  does  not  know  that  it  proba- 
bly results,  in  part,  from  a  feverish 


26        THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

excitement  of  the  brain.  Such  a 
child  should  be  kept  almost  entirely 
from  books  and  exciting  conversa- 
tion, and  should  take  much  exercise 
in  the  open  air. 

Now,  my  dear  James,  as  your 
constitution  is  somewhat  delicate, 
and  your  habits  are  studious,  I  hope 
you  will  not  sacrifice  life  or  health 
for  knowledge.  In  our  schools  and 
colleges,  many  of  the  most  promis- 
ing youth  destroy  their  constitutions 
by  excessive  confinement  and  ap- 
plication. An  increase  of  know- 
ledge is  a  small  compensation  for 
ruined  health. 


HIS  MANNER  IN  CONVERSATION.       27 

LETTER  IV. 

HIS    MANNER    IN    CONVERSATION. 

My  dear  James, — I  hope  you  will 
spare  no  pains  to  improve  yourself 
in  the  use  of  language.  Many  con- 
verse sensibly  who,  through  early 
negligence,  never  converse  elegantly. 
Surely  what  must  be  always  prac- 
tised should  be  admirably  practised. 
Above  all  things,  like  Thomas,  reject 
every  vulgar  phrase,  and  in  listening 
to  an  intelligent  friend,  carefully 
observe  every  beautiful  expression. 

His  manner  was  marked  with  an 
easy,  flowing  courtesy  on  all  occa- 
sions, whether  with  intimate  friends, 
or  entire  strangers ;  whether  the  sub- 


28  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

ject  was  serious  or  humorous.  In 
a  warm  discussion  lie  sometimes 
appeared  too  positive,  but  never  ill- 
natured.  Even  then  he  seemed 
desirous  of  pleasing.  He  aimed  at  a 
kindly  manner,  ''  soft  words  and  hard 
arguments." 

His  engaging  address  was  based 
on  the  first  requisite  of  true  polite- 
ness, a  heart  overflowing  with  good- 
will to  all  mankind.  The  possession 
of  a  benevolent  disposition,  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  same  delicate 
taste  and  love  of  refinement,  would 
render  many,  who  are  born  to  fewer 
advantages  than  he  enjoyed,  remark- 
ably agreeable ;  ever  gentle,  ever  pru- 
dent, ever  welcome. 

One  of  his  greatest  charms  in  con- 
versation was  a  soft,  well  modulated 


HIS  MANNER  IN  CONVERSATION.     29 

voice.  Some  of  its  more  tender  tones 
might  appear  to  a  stranger  as  some- 
what affected.  It  was  entirely  free 
from  four  great  faults ;  a  boisterous 
loudness,  a  drawling  monotony,  a 
nasal  twang,  and  a  muttering  indis- 
tinctness. Many  have  one  or  more 
of  these  defects  without  ever  sus- 
pecting it. 

I  think  you  will  be  pleased  to  learn 
by  what  means  he  improved  his  voice. 
He  read  aloud,  listening  to  its  ac- 
cents ;  he  embraced  occasions  to  hear 
great  orators;  he  frequently  de- 
claimed ;  and  he  gladly  availed  him- 
self of  any  friendly  criticism.  By 
so  commendable  a  course,  and  by  so 
great  perseverance,  a  faulty  voice 
can  be  corrected ;  a  good  one  brought 

to  perfection. 

3* 


30  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

The  most  striking  feature  of  his 
conversation  was  his  earnestness. 
So  active  was  his  mind,  that  he  en- 
tered upon  every  topic  with  an  ani- 
mation which  showed  itself  in  the 
kindling  lustre  of  his  eye  and  chang- 
ing countenance ;  in  the  ever-varying 
tones  of  his  delightful  voice;  and 
in  a  forcible  and  natural  emphasis. 
Every  young  person  should  cultivate 
the  habit  of  giving  his  whole  soul 
to  the  subject  in  hand.  His  manner 
may  then  be  marked  with  faults, 
but  not  the  fault  of  dulness. 

He  was  sometimes  very  grave, 
sometimes  playful,  often  argumenta- 
tive. Few  indeed  of  his  age  take 
more  delight  in  argument.  Fewer 
still  can  sustain  themselves  with  his 
ability.     But  I  never  heard  him  try 


HIS  MANNER  IN  CONVERSATION.     31 

to  prove  any  thing  that  he  did  not 
believe  true.  Always,  my  dear 
young  friend,  in  every  question,  take 
the  side  which  in  your  opinion  is 
right.  Then  you  can  truly  say, 
when  your  sentiments  are  opposed, 
'*!  do  not  think  so;"  and  you  can 
easily  assign  your  reasons. 

Often  has  he  gone  hastily  to  the 
library  to  bring  some  book  to  prove 
his  point,  or  to  disprove  another's 
assertion.  So  excellent  was  his 
memory,  that  he  frequently  delighted 
his  friends  by  the  facility  with  which 
he  would  turn  to  the  very  page  where 
he  had  noticed  some  fact  or  opinion 
which  he  subsequently  needed.  The 
invaluable  habit  of  close  observation, 
among  other  advantages,  supplies 
materials  for  conversation. 


32  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

He  expressed  his  ideas  in  words 
well  selected  and  grammatically  ar- 
ranged. He  was  fluent.  His  lan- 
guage, in  short,  was  in  all  respects 
such  as  would  grace  one  of  mature 
years  and  thorough  education.  This 
resulted  partly  from  extensive  read- 
ing, partly  from  unusually  constant 
and  familiar  intercourse  with  older 
persons,  especially  his  mother ;  part- 
ly from  translating  other  languages, 
and  writing  his  own.  For  a  long 
time  he  composed  much  for  his  mo- 
ther. He  delighted  to  write  for  her. 
In  gratifying  her,  he  improved  him- 
self. Writing  with  care  imparts 
correctness  to  conversation. 


REGARD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  33 


LETTER  V. 

HIS    REGARD    FOR    THE    BIBLE    IN    HIS 
CHILDHOOD. 

My  dear  James, — You  have  been 
informed  of  the  intellectual  excel- 
lencies of  Thomas  C.  Paul.  His  re- 
ligious habits  were  not  less  remark- 
able. I  will  now  give  you  an  account 
of  the  exemplary  manner  in  which 
he  read  and  reverenced  the  Bible. 
In  the  present  letter  this  account 
will  be  confined  to  his  early  child- 
hood. In  the  next,  it  will  be  carried 
on  to  the  close  of  his  life. 

The  following  extract  is  taken 
from  a  letter  written  to  a  friend  by 
his  bereaved  mother.    It  shows  how 


34  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

early  a  child  may  be  taught  that  the 
Bible  is  a  divine  book,  and  how  early 
his  curiosity  may  be  awakened  to 
learn  its  contents,  and  how  deeply 
he  may  feel  the  truth  of  all  its  decla- 
rations. 

''In  answer  to  the  inquiries  con- 
tained in  your  letter  respecting  my 
lamented  Thomas,  I  will  state,  that 
when  he  was  very  young,  say  be- 
tween two  and  three  years  old,  he 
had  a  Hieroglyphic  Bible,  of  which 
he  w^as  very  fond.  He  took  great 
interest  in  listening  to  its  narra- 
tives of  Abraham,  Jacob,  Joseph, 
Moses,  &c. 

''At  this  early  age,  or  very  soon 
after,  he  asked  me  many  questions 
about  the  Bible,  which  astonished 
me,  some  of  which  I  found  a  diffi- 


KEGARD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  35 

culty  in  answering  to  my  own  satis- 
faction. 

''Before  he  was  five  years  of  age, 
lie  read  the  Scriptures  himself,  and 
manifested  great  reverence  for  their 
authority.  Coming  to  me  about  this 
time,  he  said,  '  My  mother,  I  don't 
like  to  hear  persons  say.  My  father 
is  rich;  for  the  Bible  says.  It  is 
easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through 
the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a 
rich  man  to  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God.'  " 

Are  not  these,  my  dear  James, 
very  delightful  incidents  ?  May  we 
not  suppose  that  those  early  im- 
pressions, through  the  blessing  of 
God,  influenced  him  as  long  as  he 
lived  ?  How  desirable  it  is  that  the 
wheat  should  be  sown  and  take  root 


36  THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

before  the  enemy  has  time  to  cover 
the  whole  ground  with  tares! 

Upon  his  infant  mind  the  truth 
was  stamped  in  characters  never  to 
be  erased,  never  for  a  moment  to  be 
obscured,  that  God's  holy  word  is  to 
be  ''a  lamp  to  our  feef  He  then 
felt,  and  always  felt,  that  riches  are 
trifles  compared  with  the  pearl  of 
great  price ;  compared  with  the  par- 
don of  sin,  and  the  favour  of  God. 

He  began  very  early  to  quote 
Scripture  as  decisive  authority.  Two 
ministers  being  in  his  father's  draw- 
ing-room, looking  at  some  books, 
one  of  them  remarked,  "Here  is  a 
book  that  I  have  desired  to  lay  my 
hands  on  for  a  long  time."  This 
little  child,  playing  on  the  floor, 
hastily  said,  with  a  look  of  amaze- 


REGAKD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  37 

ment,  "WTiat  is  thy  neighbour's, 
thou  shalt  not  covet.'' 

The  astonished  clergyman  caught 
him  up  in  his  arms,  exclaiming,  ''My 
precious  little  fellow,  I  do  not  covet 
the  book.    I  merely  wish  to  read  it." 

In  another  way  he  showed  his  es- 
timation of  the  Sacred  ScrijDtures. 
His  favourite  present  to  a  friend 
was  a  Bible  or  New  Testament.  He 
gave  away  many.  Before  he  was 
four  years  old,  being  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  he  had  received  some 
kind  attentions  from  a  waiter  in  a 
hotel.  He  came  to  his  mother  and 
said  that  he  would  like  to  give  that 
waiter  a  Bible.  She  indulged  him. 
The  grateful  man  gave  him  in  re- 
turn a  little  book  called,  ''The  Way 
for  a  Child  to  be  saved." 

4 


38  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

When  he  was  eight  years  old,  he 
for  the  first  time  came  in  possession 
of  five  dollars.  Without  consulting 
any  one,  he  went  to  a  book-store 
and  laid  out  half  of  it  to  purchase 
his  mother  a  Bible.  What  reverence 
for  God,  what  filial  affection  and 
noble  generosity  are  beautifully 
blended,  like  the  colours  of  a  rain- 
bow, in  this  single  act ! 


REGAKD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  39 


LETTEK  VI. 

HIS    REGARD    FOR    THE    BIBLE    IN    HIS 
YOUTH. 

My  dear  James, — Thomas's  mind 
expanded.  He  became  very  fond  of 
general  reading.  But  in  his  eyes 
the  Bible  surpassed  all  other  books, 
as  much  as  the  sun  outshines  the 
stars.  Through  his  whole  life  he 
read  it  with  constancy  and  delight. 

No  youth,  perhaps,  could  with 
more  propriety  appeal  to  God,  and 
say,  "0  how  I  love  thy  law.  It  is 
my  meditation  all  the  day.  How 
sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  taste ; 
yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  my 
mouth."     He  was  at  first  most  in- 


40  THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

terested  in  its  historical  parts  and 
biograpliical  sketches.  He  after- 
wards became  fond  of  its  parables 
and  rich  imagery ;  its  precepts,  doc- 
trines and  tender  sentiments. 

His  chamber  was  adjoining  to  the 
chamber  of  his  parents.  Again  and 
again  have  they  opened  the  inter- 
mediate door  to  remind  him  that  it 
was  time  to  close  his  book  and  re- 
tire. Sometimes  he  has  said,  in  his 
peculiarly  soft  tone  and  engaging 
manner,  ''Just  let  me  finish  this 
chapter,  if  you  please. ^^ 

Here  we  see  great  reverence  for 
the  Sacred  Scrijitures,  and  a  great 
desire  to  become  acquainted  with 
their  precious  truths.  And  yet, 
when  we  consider  that  they  came 
from  God,  it  seems  surprising,  that 


EEGARD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  41 

more  individuals  of  all  ages  do  not 
read  them  with  the  same  zeal  and 
constancy.  Truly  it  is  very  sinful 
to  slight  and  neglect  the  Holy  Bible. 
To  him  it  could  have  been  said, 
as  Paul  wrote  to  Timothy,  ''From  a 
child  thou  hast  known  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make 
thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through 
faith,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. '^ 
ISTow,  dear  James,  will  you  not  be 
stimulated  by  this  bright  example,  to 
take  the  word  of  God  as  your  con- 
stant companion.  Read  it.  Pray  to 
God  for  grace  to  understand  it  and 
to  love  it.  With  the  Bible  in  your 
hand,  and  the  love  of  it  in  your  heart, 
you  will  be  happy ;  happier  far  than 
any  of  your  ungodly  acquaintances. 

This  important  habit  of  reading 
4* 


42  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

the  Scriptures  frequently  and  ex- 
tensively, has  the  sanction  of  many 
weighty  names  among  men  distin- 
guished for  accomplishing  a  vast 
amount  of  important  work.  I  will 
name  two.  William  Wilberforce, 
more  distinguished  than  any  English 
statesman  for  an  harmonious  union 
of  greatness  and  piety,  in  the  midst 
of  his  most  pressing  engagements, 
employed  a  young  man  to  read  the 
Scriptures  to  him  at  stated  times, 
as  he  walked  in  the  garden  for  ex- 
ercise. 

Dr.  Herman  Boerhaave,  one  of 
the  most  eminent  of  modern  physi- 
cians, a  German,  whose  fame  for 
learning,  talent  and  piety  spread 
through  all  Europe,  invariably  spent 
an  hour  every  morning  in  reading 


REGARD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  43 

the  Bible  and  in  other  religious  ex- 
ercises. We  are  told  that  he  spoke 
of  this  hour  of  retirement  as  the 
best  preparation  for  an  arduous 
day's  work.  With  such  examples 
before  you,  I  hope,  my  dear  James, 
that  you  will  be  more  stimulated 
than  ever  to  read  God's  holy  word. 
For  years  previous  to  his  death, 
Thomas  constantly  carried  a  Testa- 
ment with  him,  at  home  and  abroad, 
to  read  at  his  leisure  moments.  And 
yet  so  free  was  he  from  any  thing  like 
religious  display,  that  few,  if  any,  of 
his  most  intimate  young  associates 
knew  the  fact.  In  this  praiseworthy 
course  he  may  now  be  followed  by 
the  poorest  youth,  who  is  able  to 
read,  as  so  many  cheaj)  little  Testa- 
ments are  now  published. 


44  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

This  habit  appears  the  more  ad- 
mirable in  Thomas,  as  he  was  of  so 
lively  and  joyous  a  disposition.  Of 
strong  social  feelings,  fond  of  inno- 
cent sports  in  the  open  air,  as  light- 
hearted  and  merry  as  any  one  on 
the  play-ground,  he  thus  kept  as  a 
treasure  in  his  bosom,  a  coj^y  of 
those  holy  precepts,  which  he  had 
firmly  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
ever  to  take  as  his  only  guide ;  ever, 
as  well  in  youth  as  in  age,  as  well 
in  health  and  joy  as  in  siclmess  and 
sorrow,  conscientiously  to  follow. 

Are  not  these  incidents  in  the 
life  of  Thomas  very  striking,  my 
young  friend  ?  Yet  there  are  many 
among  his  acquaintances,  who  can 
mention  other  similar  facts.  I  re- 
gret that  I  have  not  room  in  this 


REGARD  FOR  THE  BIBLE.  45 

letter  to  narrate  several  which  were 
to  me  exceedingly  interesting.  One, 
however,  I  will  not  omit. 

The  reading  of  the  Scriptures  af- 
forded him  great  comfort  and  joy 
during  his  long  illness.  He  loved 
them  more  and  more.  They  shed 
upon  his  path  a  soft  and  clear  light 
which  dissipated  all  gloom  and  fear. 
In  five  months  immediately  preced- 
ing his  death,  he  read  the  Old  Tes- 
tament nearly  through,  and  the  New 
Testament  through  twice. 


46  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 


LETTEE  VII. 

HIS  ATTENTION  TO  THE  DUTY  OF 
PRAYER. 

My  dear  James, — I  will  now  pro- 
ceed to  tell  you  how  faithfully  Tho- 
mas attended  to  the  duty  of  prayer. 
He  was,  like  yourself,  taught,  as 
every  child  should  be  taught,  to 
pray  in  infancy,  as  soon  as  he  could 
lisp  the  name  of  God.  Eeligious 
parents  who  are  neglectful  of  the 
f)ious  training  of  their  young  chil- 
dren, will  at  a  later  period  find  in 
them,  almost  universally,  a  stubborn 
reluctance  to  devotional  exercises. 

He  at  first  repeated  his  little 
prayers  after  his  mother.     As  soon 


ATTENTION  TO  PRAYER.  47 

as  he  was  able  to  say  them  without 
prompting,  he  came  regularly,  kneel- 
ed down  by  her,  and  offered  them  up 
to  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  in  a 
very  solemn  manner.  It  is  not  re- 
membered, that  he  ever  hesitated, 
when  called  to  the  performance  of 
this  duty. 

And  why  should  he  have  hesi- 
tated ?  The  habit  had  been  formed 
before  his  recollection.  It  had  never 
been  interrupted.  It  was  entwined 
in  his  memory  with  timely  and  de- 
lightful instruction,  and  with  tender 
and  soothing  caresses.  Many  retain 
through  life  a  most  pleasing  remem- 
brance of  the  soft  and  gentle  manner 
in  which  their  affectionate  mothers 
taught  and  encouraged  them  to 
praise  God,   and  to  supplicate  his 


48  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

protecting  care  and  sustaining 
grace. 

We  are  told  of  kind  watchful  an- 
gels. It  is  said  by  the  Psalmist, 
"The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth 
round  about  them  that  fear  him.'' 
Now  what,  among  men,  do  you  think 
most  resembles  this  angelic  guard- 
ianship ?  Surely  godly  mothers,  with 
their  warm  hearts,  teaching,  in  the 
most  engaging  manner  conceivable, 
their  infant  offspring  to  bless  and 
revere  the  name  of  God. 

AMien  Tliomas  was  about  five 
years  old,  an  aged  minister  on  a 
visit  to  the  family,  unexpectedly  to 
the  child,  opened  the  door  of  a  room, 
and  found  him  tlicre  alone  on  his 
knees  engaged  in  prayer.  How  love- 
ly a  siglit  was  that  to  the  eye  of  a 


ATTENTION  TO  PRAYER.  49 

saint?  Let  every  child  be  taught 
that  there  is  a  God,  who  seeth 
in  secret,  and  who  hears  and  re- 
wards prayer. 

The  venerable  man  stopped  in 
amazement.  He  told  the  mother 
what  he  had  seen,  and  added  in  a 
tone  of  encouragement,  "  If  you  will 
persevere  in  training  this  child  so 
piously,  you  may  hope,  through  the 
blessing  of  God,  to  see  him  a  great 
and  good  man.'^ 

Now  observe  carefully  as  you  grow 
up,  and  see  if  you  can  find  a  single 
corrupt  i)erson,  of  whom  it  can  be 
proved  that  he  was  early,  kindly, 
and  constantly,  up  to  his  very  man- 
hood, trained  in  the  ways  of  piety, 
and  always  kept  from  evil  asso- 
ciates.    I  am  very  certain,  my  dear 


60  THOMAS    C.    PAUL. 

James,  you  Avill  find  no  instance  of 
the  kind. 

When  a  son  of  very  pious  parents 
becomes  profligate  and  abandoned, 
he  is  imiversally  noticed ;  especially 
if  he  is  the  son  of  a  minister.  The 
ease  is  spoken  of  everywhere.  Aban- 
doned men  are  delighted.  They 
slanderously  affirm  that  it  is  nothing 
uncommon.  Now  read  the  expla- 
nation in  a  few  words. 

Tliis  youth  was  probably  well 
taught  at  home  by  his  religious 
l)arents,  but  ruinously  corrupted 
abroad  by  wicked  companions.  Or 
lie  may  li(ive  been  carefully  watch- 
ed over  in  his  earliest  years,  whilst 
under  his  father's  roof;  but  lament- 
ably neglected  at  a  later  period, 
and  in  some  other  situation.     In 


ATTENTION  TO  PRAYER.  51 

either  case  the  divine  rule  was  vio- 
lated. The  child  was  not  trained 
up  in  the  way  he  should  go. 

One  custom  was  constantly  ob- 
served by  Thomas  up  to  his  last 
illness.  Some  may  regard  it  as  a 
weakness  in  him  to  have  retained  it 
so  long.  Others  may  admire  such 
devotion  to  his  mother.  Others  still 
may  see  in  it  the  power  of  long-che- 
rished habit.  After  having  private- 
ly read  the  Scriptures  at  night  in 
his  own  chamber,  he  went  into  his 
mother's  room,  kneeled  down  by  her, 
as  he  had  alw^ays  done  from  infancy, 
and  offered  uj)  his  evening  prayers. 
Then  kissing  her  and  bidding  her 
*'Good  night,"  he  mthdrew  and  im- 
mediately sought  repose. 

As  he  drew  near  his  end,  he  felt  a 


52  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

strong  assurance  that  liis  prayers 
were  heard.  On  one  occasion  he 
said,  in  great  ecstasy,  ''My  mother, 
I  believe  in  prayer.  I  believe  in  get- 
ting an  answer  to  prayer."  He  then 
gave  a  reason  for  this  belief,  from 
his  own  personal  exioerience. 


'-'**^*'tuLti^ 


ATTENTION  TO  FAMILY  WORSHIP.    53 


LETTER  VIII. 

HIS  ATTENTION  TO  FAMILY  WORSHIP  AND 
OTHER  RELIGIOUS  OBSERVANCES. 

My  dear  James, — Thomas  took  a 
deep  and  constant  interest  in  family 
worship.  In  his  father's  absence 
he  frequently  read  the  chapter  before 
prayer.  Sometimes  he  would  make 
the  selection  himself,  and  select 
judiciously.  This  remark  must  of 
course  be  understood  in  reference  to 
the  few  last  years  of  his  life. 

But  at  an  earlier  period  many  in- 
cidents of  an  unusual  character  in 
respect  to  worship,  occurred.  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter 
of  one  who  witnessed  the  circum- 


54        THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

stance  narrated.  It  shows  tliat  he 
was  in  early  childhood  imj)ressively 
solemn  in  devotional  exercises.  I  am 
prepared  to  say,  from  frequent  ob- 
servation, that  this  solemnity  was 
eminently  characteristic  of  him  in 
his  youth. 

"An  aged  gentleman,  a  neigh- 
bour, called  one  evening  on  the 
family,  and  remained  to  tea.  He 
was  not  a  professor  of  religion.  Mr. 
Paul  being  absent,  Thomas,  not  yet 
five  years  old,  asked  a  blessing  with 
such  propriety  of  words  and  manner, 
that  the  old  gentleman  was  affected 
even  to  tears,  and  said  to  me,  '  Old 
as  I  am,  I  never  saw  the  like,^  or 
words  to  that  effect.'' 

"When  he  was  about  twelve  years 
of  age,  his  father  at  the  time  being 


ATTENTION  TO  FAMILY  WORSHIP.    55 

from  home,  he  came  one  morning  to 
the  bed-side  of  his  mother,  who  was 
sick,  and  said,  ''My  mother,  I  am 
sorry  you  are  sick.  If  you  wish  me 
to  stay  from  school  to  wait  on  you, 
I  wall  do  so.^'  He  then  rang  the 
bell,  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible, 
and  called  on  one  of  the  religious 
servants  to  pray.  On  such  occasions 
as  have  now  been  described,  he  al- 
ways appeared  with  the  solemn  air 
and  bearing  of  manhood,  so  becom- 
ing the  service  of  God. 

I  wdsh  to  call  your  very  particular 
attention  to  this  solemnity  of  beha- 
viour which  he  habitually  manifest- 
ed during  all  religious  observances. 
It  contrasts,  very  strikingly,  with  the 
irreverent  manner  of  many  young 
persons.     Surely  at  family  worship, 


56  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

in  the  social  meeting  for  prayer, 
and  in  the  church,  during  divine 
service,  no  youth  should  dare  to 
trifle,  by  smiling,  whispering,  com- 
municating by  signs,  or  seeking  his 
amusement  in  any  other  ungodly 
way. 

Thomas  was  thus  devout  in  his 
appearance,  doubtless,  from  cherish- 
ing a  deep  and  sincere  reverence 
for  the  all-seeing  God.  ''The  Lord 
is  in  his  holy  temple.'^  Christ  is 
in  the  midst  of  two  or  three  ga- 
thered together  in  his  name.  This 
doctrine  of  God's  peculiar  presence 
with  liis  worshipping  i)eople  he 
cordially  received.  His  deep  inter- 
est in  family  and  social  prayer  has 
reminded  me  of  a  passage  in  the 
life  of  the  late  Dr.  Milne,  a  labor- 


ATTENTION  TO  FAMILY  WORSHIP.    57 

ious  and  clistinguisliecl  missionary 
in  China.  ''In  his  early  years  Dr. 
Milne  attended  a  Sabbath  evening 
school,  which  was  taught  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  his  residence. 
Here  his  knowledge  of  evangelical 
truth  increased,  and  oftentimes 
impressions  of  its  importance  were 
made  upon  his  mind.  Sometimes 
he  used  to  walk  home  from  the 
school  alone,  about  a  mile,  over  the 
brow  of  a  hill,  praying  all  the  way. 
At  this  time  he  began  the  worship 
of  God  in  his  mother's  family,  and 
also  held  some  meetings  for  prayer, 
with  his  sisters  and  other  children, 
in  a  barn  that  belonged  to  the 
premises." 

Tou  are  prepared  to  learn  that 
Thomas  did  not,  like  some  of  our 


58  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

youth,  stand  on  the  steps  of  the 
church,  to  stare  at  the  assembling 
or  retiring  people ;  that  he  did  not 
purposely  seek  an  obscure  place 
that  he  might  indulge  in  play ;  that 
he  was  not  in  the  habit  of  going  out 
during  the  service.  Indeed,  his 
good-breeding,  without  this  fixed 
religious  principle,  would  have  pre- 
served him  from  such  improprieties. 
In  the  daily  worship  at  the  Insti- 
tute which  he  attended,  he  sat 
directly  before  the  principal,  who 
could  not  fail  to  notice  how  intently 
he  watched  for  every  religious  ex- 
pression. 

It  was  a  custom  in  the  Sabbath- 
school,  when  he  was  a  child,  to  dis- 
tribute tickets  as  a  reward  for  good 
lessons  and  behaviour.     These  tick- 


ATTENTION  TO  FAMILY  WORSHIP.    59 

ets,  when  they  reached  a  certain  num- 
ber, could  be  exchanged  for  a  Bible, 
or  for  one  or  more  Testaments.  He 
was  very  studious  and  regular,  and 
thus  obtained  several  books,  which 
he  gave  away  to  supply  the  destitute. 
Before  he  was  thirteen  years  old 
he  was  solicited  to  become  a  teacher 
of  a  class  of  children  in  one  of  the 
Sabbath-schools.  But  he  declined. 
He  had  already  commenced  giving 
religious  instruction  to  the  coloured 
people  of  his  father^ s  family.  Sab- 
bath after  Sabbath  he  read  the 
Scriptures  to  them  in  his  impressive 
manner,  and  kindly  answered,  to 
the  best  of  his  abilities,  all  their 
inquiries. 


THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  IX. 

HIS    INTEREST    IN    MISSIONARIES. 

My  dear  James, — Thomas  was 
early  taught  the  origin  of  mission- 
ary operations.  He  knew  that  all 
true  religion  was  once  confined  to 
the  small  country  called  Palestine, 
embracing  Judea  and  situated  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Mediterranean 
sea.  He  knew  that  our  Sa^dour 
commissioned  his  disciples  to  go 
from  that  countiy  ''into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gosj^el  to 
every  creature.'^  I  think  it  very 
probable  that  he  could  have  re- 
peated our  Saviour^s  very  words  as 


INTEREST    IN   MISSIONARIES.         61 

we  have  them  in  the  last  three 
verses  of  Matthew. 

He  was  likewise  taught  what 
missionaries  had  accomplished,  by 
the  blessing  of  God.  He  learned 
that  by  them  the  gospel  had  been 
carried  to  the  Eomans,  the  French, 
the  Germans,  the  English,  and  many 
other  nations;  and  that  by  them 
our  own  forefathers,  who  were  once 
heathen,  worshipping  idols,  and 
sometimes  sacrificing  human  beings, 
were  converted  to  God. 

He  was  told  that  all  the  world 
would  yet  be  brought  to  a  know- 
ledge of  Christ.  He  was  not  igno- 
rant that  God  could  convert  all 
nations  by  miracles,  by  angels,  and 
in  many  other  ways.  But  he  be- 
lieved that  God  chooses  to  do  it  in 
6 


62  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

the  way  our  Saviour  has  pointed  out, 
that  is,  by  sending  missionaries  to 
preach  the  gospel  everywhere. 

For  these  reasons  he  delighted 
to  hear  what  the  missionaries  were 
doing.  He  would  sit  down  by  his 
mother,  and  listen  to  the  latest 
accounts  of  their  labours  with  as 
much  pleasure  as  most  children 
listen  to  tales.  Many  parents,  dear 
James,  think  children  far  more 
deficient  than  they  are.  Children 
crave  a  Imowledge  of  facts;  not 
false  stories.  They  love  tales,  only 
because  they  fancy  them  true,  at 
least  for  the  moment.  But  the 
Bible  and  other  books  which  con- 
tain facts,  are  of  far  greater  in- 
terest. 

Such   was    his   anxiety   to   hear 


INTEREST    IN    MISSIONARIES.  63 

accounts  of  missionary  operations 
when  lie  was  very  young.  This 
anxiety  never  diminished.  "He 
was,  for  years,"  his  father  remarks, 
"not  a  listener,  but  a  reader.  He  de- 
lighted to  read  the  missionary  no- 
tices, letters,  &c.'^  It  was  a  pleasure 
to  him,  in  the  study  of  geography,  to 
observe  upon  the  maps  the  mission- 
ary stations.  But  I  will  return  to 
his  childhood,  for  it  was  then  that 
he  imbibed  an  extraordinary  zeal 
for  the  missionary  cause,  and  began 
to  make  extraordinary  sacrifices  in 
its  behalf. 

He  was  informed  that  missiona- 
ries, in  their  great  expenses  of  tra- 
velling, of  printing  Bibles  and  tracts, 
and  of  various  other  operations,  were 
supported  by  Christians  at  home. 


64  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

He  perceived  that  any  one  could 
take  part  in  tliis  great  and  good 
work.  He  was  delighted  with  the 
idea.  He  went  to  a  missionary 
meeting.  He  heard  the  prayers, 
the  addresses,  the  hymns.  When 
the  contribution  was  taken  up,  he 
gave  all  the  money  he  had,  and 
went  home  with  a  determination  to 
give  more  at  the  next  anniversary. 

He  knew  in  what  high  terms  our 
Eedeemer  spoke  of  the  poor  widow 
who  cast  into  the  treasury  of  the 
Lord  all  the  money  she  possessed ; 
two  little  mites.  But,  perhaps,  he 
did  not  consider  that  God  could 
guide  a  little  piece  of  money,  given 
by  a  child,  till  it  should  buy  a  book 
or  tract ;  and  that  God  could  guide 
that  little  book  or  tract  till  it  should 


INTEREST    IN    MISSIONARIES.         65 

reach  some  heathen  and  bring  him 
to  repentance  and  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  that  God  could  qualify 
that  heathen  to  become  a  minister 
of  the  gospel.  What  wonderful  facts 
will  be  brought  to  light  in  eternity ! 

He  procured  a  box,  and  called  it 
his  Missionary-box.  All  the  little 
pieces  of  money  he  could  get  he 
dropped  into  it.  Several  of  his 
friends  gave  him  small  sums  for 
the  same  purpose.  With  what  plea- 
sure did  he  empty  it  at  the  next 
missionary  meeting!  His  interest 
in  the  cause  increased  year  after 
year.  The  more  we  do  for  so  good 
an  object,  the  dearer  it  is  to  us. 

He  received  twenty-five  cents  a 
week  to  spend  as  he  chose.  He 
asked  and  obtained  permission  to 

6* 


66  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

abstain  from  some  one  of  tlie  luxu- 
ries of  tlie  table  and  to  receive  the 
value  in  money;  one  half  of  which 
he  laid  aside  for  the  missionaries. 
For  several  months  together  he  de- 
nied himself  butter,  or  tea  and  coffee, 
or  some  other  article  in  which  most 
persons  indulge.  One  of  his  last 
yearly  contributions  for  foreign  mis- 
sions was  twenty-five  dollars !  How 
much  can  be  done  when  the  heart 
is  enlisted. 


^,^■^^1  x:^H>«^l?^v.^j?r^ 


REGARD  FOR  MINISTERS.  67 


LETTER  X. 

HIS   REGARD    FOR    MINISTERS   OF    THE    ' 
GOSPEL. 

My  DEAR  James, — Very  few  chil- 
dren have  ever  been  more  in  the 
society  of  ministers,  than  Thomas 
C.  Paul  had  been  from  his  earliest 
infancy.  They  were  frequently, 
and  sometimes  for  several  days  to- 
gether, in  his  father's  family.  He 
regarded  them  with  great  reverence. 
But  his  long  acquaintance  with 
them  made  him  entirely  at  his  ease 
in  their  comj^any.  He  delighted  to 
converse  with  them,  and  he  received 
from  them  many  an  expression  of 
fondness  and  esteem. 


68  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

He  watched  for  opportunities  to 
show  them  obliging  attentions.  He 
would  go  to  their  rooms  to  see  if 
the  servants  had  provided  every 
thing  necessary  for  their  comfort. 
He  would  bring  them  the  choicest 
fruit  he  could  find.  He  would  search 
the  library  for  such  books  as  they 
desired  to  see.  In  short,  he  would 
do  all  in  his  power,  with  the  most 
manifest  pleasure  and  in  the  kind- 
est manner,  to  promote  their  enjoy- 
ment. 

Many  ministers  of  the  gospel  are 
straitened  in  their  circumstances 
for  Christ's  sake.  They  could  ac- 
quire ample  means,  perhaps  great 
wealth,  if  they  would  give  them- 
selves up  to  worldly  pursuits.  But 
they  renounce  the  world  to  serve 


REGARD  FOR  MINISTERS.  69 

the  Lord  and  promote  his  glory,  by 
securing  their  own  salvation,  by 
edifying  Christians,  by  calling  sin- 
ners to  rej)entance,  and  by  present- 
ing, to  the  eyes  of  all,  attractive 
examples  of  purity,  benevolence, 
and  godliness.  For  such  as  give 
even  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  his  self- 
denying  servants,  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  there  is  a  sure  reward.  This 
Thomas  believed. 

To  many  of  these  visitors,  uj)on 
leaving  his  father's  house,  he  made 
little  presents  of  books,  handker- 
chiefs, or  other  useful  articles. 
Placing  a  gold  coin  of  five  dollars 
in  the  hands  of  a  venerable  minis- 
ter, he  said,  ''Take  this,  if  you 
please,  to  your  little  son.''  He  ob- 
tained a  new  coat  for  another,  to 


70  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

whom  he  knew  such  an  expression 
of  regard  would  be  both  timely 
and  acceptable.  'No  wonder,  dear 
James,  that  so  many  should  lament 
the  early  death  of  one  who  uni- 
formly availed  himself  of  all  his 
resources  in  so  many  acts  of  judi- 
cious benevolence. 

When  he  was  very  young,  he  fol- 
lowed a  minister  to  his  chamber, 
and,  with  a  child's  simplicity,  said, 
"Why,  sir,  have  you  not  on  your 
newer  clothes?'^  His  reply,  in  sub- 
stance, was,  "  I  am  wearing  my  best, 
my  little  friend."  He  hastened  to 
his  mother  with  an  air  of  great  con- 
cern, and  told  her  tliat  their  guest 
was  very  destitute  of  clothes.  I 
know  not  wliethcr  she  smiled  most 
at  his   question,   i)ardonable   in   a 


REGARD  FOR  MINISTERS.  71 

small  child,  or  at  his  description; 
''My  mother,  the  clothes  which  he 
is  wearing  are  thread-bare,  and, 
would  you  believe  it,  they  are  his 
very  best.^'  "How  do  you  know?" 
"I  asked  him,  and  he  told  me  so." 
Away  he  went  with  his  burdened 
mind  to  his  father,  and  entreated 
him  to  give  the  minister  a  suit  of 
clothes.     He  was  indulged. 

Returning  with  a  light  heart,  he 
invited  the  clergyman  to  walk  down 
town  with  him  a  few  minutes. 
Without  naming  his  object,  he  re- 
quested him  to  stop  with  him  a 
little  while  at  the  shop  of  a  tailor, 
w^ho,  being  previously  instructed 
what  to  do,  surprised  the  reverend 
visitor  by  approaching  him  to  take 
his   measure.     A  little  playfulness 


72  THOMAS  C.  TAUL. 

of  this  kind  was  always  character- 
istic of  Thomas.  But  if  he  sought 
amusement  by  surprising  his  friends, 
it  was  always  in  a  pleasant  way. 
His  was  a  ''wit  that  loved  to  play, 
not  wound. '^ 

He  obtained,  when  about  twelve 
years  of  age,  a  costly  umbrella, 
which  he  greatly  prized.  Soon 
after  he  observed  that  his  pastor, 
having  called  at  his  father^s  on  a 
rainy  day,  had  one  of  inferior  qua- 
lity. "Let  me  give  him  mine,"  said 
he,  in  an  under-tone  to  his  mother. 
How  bright  was  his  expressive  eye, 
and  how  happy  was  his  generous 
heart,  when,  following  this  worthy 
minister  to  the  door,  he  placed  in 
his  liand  the  handsome  present. 

Our  Saviour  tells  us,  that  "TSTiio- 


REGARD  FOR  MINISTERS.  73 

soever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given, 
and  he  shall  have  more  abundance." 
This  was  strikingly  exemplified  in 
his  case.  His  remarkable  virtues 
and  kind  manner  induced  these 
pious  divines  to  take  a  lively  in- 
terest in  giving  him  instruction 
and  advice,  by  which  he  was  still 
more  advanced  in  wisdom  and  ex- 
cellence. 

But  nowhere  did  he  exhibit  more 
regard  for  ministers  than  in  the 
house  of  God.  He  listened  to  their 
sermons  with  profound  attention. 
Thus  his  heart,  judgment  and 
memory  were  all  improved.  Upon 
returning  from  church,  he  often 
created  surprise,  by  repeating,  with 
great  accuracy,  much  of  the  dis- 
course. 

7 


74  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

His  fondness  for  ministers  and 
his  attention  to  their  sermons  have 
reminded  me  of  Edward  YL,  who 
became  king  of  England  in  1547, 
in  his  tenth  year.  Edward  studied 
closely,  and  made  great  attainments 
in  knowledge.  But  his  favourite 
study  was  the  Bible.  He  took  the 
greatest  pleasure  in  listening  to 
sermons. 

Bishop  Latimer,  who  was  after- 
wards burned  at  the  stake  in  Ox- 
ford, was  the  young  king's  favourite 
preacher.  A  pulpit  was  erected  in 
one  of  the  royal  gardens,  w^here 
Edward,  surrounded  by  his  court, 
loved  to  sit  out  of  doors,  and  listen 
to  his  discourses,  which  Avere  long 
and  eloquent.  Some  of  these  sermons, 
with  whicli  Edward  was  so  much 


REGARD  FOR  MINISTERS. 


75 


delighted,  were  preserved.  They 
are  remarkable  for  zeal,  fearless- 
ness and  singularity.  Like  Tho- 
mas Paul,  Edward  died  young, 
distinguished  for  piety,  learning 
and  gentleness  of  disposition. 


76  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XL 

THOMAS    AND    HIS   TEACHERS. 

My  dear  James, — I  will  now  in- 
form you  of  Thomas's  conduct  to- 
wards his  teachers.  As  you  are  in 
a  course  of  education,  I  hope  and. 
believe  that  you  will  find  this  part 
of  the  narrative  particularly  profit- 
able, perhaps  interesting.  Possibly 
some  good  resolution  may  be  con- 
firmed. Possibly  some  wrong  opin- 
ion may  be  corrected. 

He  was  never  known  to  be  in- 
solent to  a  teacher.  Some  are 
insolent  because  they  are  urged  on 
by  mischievous  companions.     This 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  TEACHERS.        77 

is  insolence  from  a  desire  of  pleasing 
others,  and  shows  great  weakness. 
Some  are  insolent  to  display  their 
courage.  This  is  insolence  from  a 
love  of  low  distinction,  and  betrays 
an  ill-directed  ambition.  In  short, 
many  are  insolent,  and  otherwise 
perverse  at  school,  and  afterwards 
at  college,  not  so  much  from  a  bad 
disposition  as  from  a  want  of  firm- 
ness, or  from  false  views  of  what  is 
honourable.  It  is  better  to  be  un- 
known than  ill-known. 

It  is  not  known  that  Thomas  ever 
spoke  ill  of  a  teacher.  He  had  little 
time  and  less  disposition  to  look  for 
faults  in  his  conduct.  If  he  heard 
of  any,  he  hoped  the  report  was  a 
slander.  If  he  saw  any,  he  hoped 
the  teacher  meant  well.     At  least, 

7* 


78  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

he  did  not  try  to  mend  matters  by 
joining  a  group  of  fault-finders. 
Some  are  ever  speaking  ill  of  their 
teachers  while  at  school,  and  of 
their  neighbours  the  rest  of  their 
lives.  Guard  against  a  censorious 
spirit. 

Nor  is  it  remembered  that  he 
ever  engaged  in  the  active  defence 
of  a  teacher.  In  some  cases  he 
would  doubtless  have  done  so.  But 
he  did  not  suppose  the  foolish 
remarks  of  discontented  pupils 
needed  any  reply.  No  sensible 
teaclier  regards  such  remarks.  No 
sensible  teacher  wishes  a  worthy 
pupil  to  make  himself  enemies  on 
his  account.  Avoid  all  unnecessary 
strife,  dear  James.  At  school  oi* 
college,  to  oppose  a  teaclier  is  gene- 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  TEACHERS.        79 

rally  wrong  and  injurious ;  to  defend 
a  teacher  is  generally  unnecessary 
and  imprudent. 

He  always  spoke  of  his  teachers 
in  terms  of  high  respect.  This  was 
partly  owing,  perhaps,  to  the  fact, 
that  he  had  never  heard  them  cen- 
sured or  ridiculed  at  home.  A  child 
once  said  of  his  teacher,  ''I  know 
he  is  a  fool,  I  have  heard  my  father 
say  so  many  a  time.'^  If  the  child 
quoted  truly,  his  father  himself  was 
far  from  being  wise.  Tour  father 
honours  your  teachers  by  com- 
mitting you  to  their  care.  You 
honour  your  father  by  showing  them 
every  token  of  respect. 

He  did  not  complain  to  his  teach- 
ers of  ill-usage  from  his  companions. 
He  had  no  occasion  to  do  so,  for 


80  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

tlirougli  liis  kindness  and  prudence 
he  was  uniformly  well  used.  Such 
a  complaint,  however,  is  sometimes 
necessary.  But  he  would  have  suf- 
fered much,  it  is  believed,  before 
he  would  have  resorted  to  it.  If 
you  cannot  keep  out  of  difficulties, 
settle  them,  if  possible,  in  such 
a  manner  as  not  to  make  them 
public.  This  is  a  good  rule  for  all 
future  time. 

He  went  to  his  teachers  with  no 
information  against  his  school-fel- 
loAvs.  Indeed  he  larely  saw  any 
misconduct,  for  he  chose  the  most 
virtuous  as  his  companions.  But 
with  liisnice  sense  of  propriety,  he 
never  could  have  been  a  voluntary 
informer,  except  in  the  case  of  some 
great  crime.     Never  consent  to  con- 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  TEACHERS.        81 

ceal  a  great  crime.  Never  volun- 
teer to  reveal  ordinary  offences.  I 
can  think  of  no  better  general.rules. 
But  by  all  means,  my  dear  James, 
act  conscientiously.  If,  in  some 
extraordinary  case,  you  see  it  is 
your  duty  to  make  disclosures,  do 
it  without  ill-will,  and  do  it  fear- 
lessly. 

Thomas  never  for  a  moment  ap- 
peared displeased  with  his  teachers. 
He  turned  not  hastily  from  them  in 
anger.  He  never  remained  sullenly 
silent  when  questioned.  No  resent- 
ment lowered  in  his  countenance. 
From  such  conduct  he  was  as  free 
in  their  presence,  as  he  was  free 
from  all  terms  of  reproach  and  ridi- 
cule in  their  absence. 

He  delighted  to  confer  favours  on 


82  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

his  teachers.  He  made  them  small 
presents.  Sometimes  he  gave  them 
fruit  and  other  luxuries  sufficient 
for  themselves  and  for  all  his  fellow 
students.  Indeed,  his  disposition 
to  oblige  others  was  a  very  con- 
spicuous trait  of  his  character. 

He  aided  his  teachers  by  his  ex- 
ample. By  his  respectful  manner, 
by  his  friendly  attentions,  by  his 
persevering  industry,  by  his  so- 
lemnity at  the  hour  of  worship,  by 
cheerfully  adopting  all  their  plans, 
and  by  constantly  avoiding  all  the 
faults  which  have  been  named,  he 
exerted  a  happy  influence  over 
many  minds. 

He  was  consequently  highly  es- 
teemed by  his  teachers.  Wliile  he 
was  yet  in  licaltli,  one  of  them  re- 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  TEACHERS.         83 

marked,  ''I  have  never  known  a 
pupil  so  exemplary  as  Thomas 
Paul."  Six  of  his  teachers  were 
present  and  voted  for  the  resolu- 
tions which  were  published  after 
his  death.  I  will  send  you  a  copy 
of  them.  No  part  of  his  character 
is  brighter  than  his  virtues  as  a 
pupil. 


84        THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XII. 

THOMAS    WITH    HIS    FATHER. 

My  dear  James, — The  father  of 
Thomas,  busily  employed  with  his 
own  extensive  operations  and  with 
the  aflfairs  of  the  church,  very  glad- 
ly and  very  confidently  surrendered 
him,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the  gui- 
dance of  his  devoted  mother.  But 
he  was  always  ready  to  render  any 
assistance  with  his  counsel,  and  ha- 
bitually careful  to  make  such  obser- 
vations as  tended  to  enlarge  the 
understanding  of  a  child,  to  improve 
his  heart,  and  to  give  him  correct 
views  of  his  duty  to  God  and  man. 


THOMAS    WITH    HIS    FATHER.         85 

This  he  did  in  so  affectionate  a 
manner,  that  his  son  took  great 
pleasure  in  his  company. 

Thomas  often  wished  that  he 
could  be  more  with  his  father.  But 
many  of  the  best  men  in  the  world 
have  but  little  time  to  spend  with 
their  families.  As  mothers  fre- 
quently and  naturally  have  so  ex- 
clusive a  control  of  the  first  and 
most  important  years  of  their  chil- 
dren's lives,  how  exceedingly  desira- 
ble is  it,  that  they  should  be  very 
judicious,  intelligent,  and  pious! 
Hence  we  derive  a  very  strong  argu- 
ment for  their  early  Christian  edu- 
cation. 

But  he  was  with  his  father  twice 
a  day  in  most  interesting  circum- 
stances.    I  allude  to  morning  and 


86        THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

evening  worship  in  the  family.  What 
a  happy  influence  did  it  exert  on  his 
tender  mind  to  see  his  father,  what- 
ever might  be  his  cares  or  pursuits, 
spending  the  beginning  and  close 
of  every  day  in  religious  exercises ! 
How  much  of  his  best  knowledge, 
how  many  of  his  best  resolutions 
were  derived  from  these  occasions, 
and  from  the  pious  conversation 
which  often  immediately  succeeded ! 
I  hope,  dear  James,  that  you  will 
never  absent  yourself  from  family 
worship.  It  is  intimated  in  the 
Bible  that  the  fury  of  the  Lord  will 
be  poured  out  upon  families  that 
call  not  upon  His  name.  How  great 
then  must  be  the  sin  of  a  child  who, 
blessed  with  a  pious  father,  is  re- 
luctant to  kneel  by  his  side  in  the 


THOMAS    WITH    HIS    FATHER.         87 

worsliip  of  God!  It  is  not  recol- 
lected that  Thomas  was  ever  ab- 
sent at  time  of  prayer  without  good 
cause.  I  believe  his  duty  was  his 
pleasure. 

As  a  general  thing,  he  had  the 
most  frequent  and  familiar  conver- 
sations with  his  father  at  the  table. 
If  he  differed  from  him  in  opinion, 
he  was  encouraged  to  say  so.  Then 
he  assigned  his  reasons  in  a  modest 
and  childlike  manner.  I  never  heard 
that  he  was  at  all  rude  in  argument, 
or  that  he  refused  to  yield  when  he 
found  that  he  was  in  the  wrong. 
But  as  long  as  he  thought  he  was 
in  the  right,  he  dearly  loved  to  de- 
fend his  opinion. 

Thomas  appeared  to  have  been 
greatly  influenced  in  the  formation 


88  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

of  his  habits  by  witnessing  the  me- 
thodical manner  in  which  his  father 
transacted  business.  All  his  lessons 
had  their  fixed  hours.  His  love  of 
order  appeared  in  every  thing.  His 
desk,  his  books  and  other  articles, 
were  all  in  their  appropriate  places. 
I  will  here  remark,  my  dear  young 
friend,  that  industry  without  method 
is  nothing  but  a  busy  idleness.  A 
farmer  sows  industriously,  but  he 
sows  out  of  season.  He  toils  at  re- 
pairing a  fence,  but  not  till  a  crop 
lias  been  half  destroyed.  He  spends 
hours  in  sunning  sheaves ;  in  half 
the  time  he  could  have  housed  them 
before  the  rain.  He  liiils,  and  talks 
of  his  misfortunes.  His  neighbour 
is  no  more  industrious,  but  does 
every  thing  in  time  and  order :  he 


THOMAS    WITH    HIS    FATHER.        89 

finds  reason  to  bless  God  for  Ms 
prosperity. 

As  a  father  ordinarily  spends  but 
little  time  with  his  young  children, 
he  has  it  in  his  power,  by  overlook- 
ing their  faults  and  by  constant 
indulgences,  to  make  them  feel  that 
he  is  kinder  than  their  devoted  and 
more  watchful  mother.  This  is 
very  inconsiderate.  Let  the  father 
take  especial  pains  to  honour  the 
mother.  Mr.  Paul's  course  may  be 
learned  from  the  following  incident. 
Thomas  was  once  asked  which  he 
loved  the  most,  his  father  or  mother, 
"My  mother,'-  said  he,  '4n  obedi- 
ence to  my  father's  wishes." 

Thomas  loved  his  father  tenderly. 
He  once  went  to  Boston  to  wait  his 
arrival  from  Europe.    When  he  first 

8* 


90  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

saw  liini  on  the  deck  of  the  ship, 
it  is  said,  he  leaped  in  ecstasy,  ex- 
claiming, ''I  see  my  father!  It  is 
my  father !"  But  this  love  was  never 
more  gratified  than  during  his  ex- 
treme illness.  He  had  his  father 
with  him  then,  a  great  i)ortion  of  the 
time.  It  was  delightful  to  witness 
the  relief  he  seemed  to  find  in  his 
affectionate  attentions. 

The  influence  of  a  father's  pious 
conversation  is  beautifully  illus- 
trated in  the  case  of  Richard  Bax- 
ter, who  was  one  of  the  greatest, 
best,  and  most  fearless  ministers  of 
England  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
wlien  many  of  the  servants  of  God, 
and  lie  among  tlie  number,  were 
cruelly  persecuted.  His  father  di- 
I'cctcd  his  attention  to  the  historical 


THOMAS   WITH    HIS    FATHER.        91 

portions  of  the  Bible.  Young  Eicli- 
ard  became  deeply  interested.  This 
interest,  by  the  grace  of  God,  led 
to  a  desire  to  read  the  whole  vo- 
lume. 

I  do  not  know  whether  Baxter  or 
Thomas  Paul  sufficiently  appreciated 
these  attentions  of  their  fathers  at 
the  time  they  received  them.  But 
Baxter  in  his  old  age  spoke  very 
tenderly  of  his  father,  and  indeed  of 
both  his  parents.  One  day  he  was  so 
filled  with  a  sense  of  God^s  goodness 
in  giving  him  pious  parents,  that 
he  sat  dow^n  and  wrote  some  lines 
expressive  of  his  thankfulness.  I 
will  copy  two  of  them : 

"  Their  early  precepts  so  possessed  my  heart, 
That,  taking  root,  they  did  not  thence  depart." 


92  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

While  Eicliarcl  Baxter  attributes 
so  mucli  to  the  instrumentality  of 
his  pious  parents,  it  is  remarkable 
that  Edward  Gibbon,  the  infidel 
historian,  who  has  written  many 
severe  and  unjust  things  against 
Christianity,  calls  his  aunt,  Mrs. 
Porten,  w^ho  had  the  care  of  him 
when  he  was  young,  and  who  had 
erroneous  views  of  religion,  ''the. 
mother  of  his  mind.'^  She  permitted 
him  to  read  very  improper  books. 
I  will  give  a  short  quotation  from 
his  own  pen.  I  regard  it  as  an  ex- 
planation of  the  probable  origin  of 
his  bitter  infidelity. 

''My  grandfather's  flight  unlock- 
ed the  door  of  a  tolerable  library. 
Where  a  title  attracted  my  eye, 
without  fear  or  awe  I  snatched  the 


THOMAS    WITH    HIS    FATHER.        93 

volume  from  the  shelf,  and  Mrs. 
Porten,  who  indulged  herself  in 
moral  and  religious  speculations, 
was  more  prone  to  encourage  than 
to  check  a  curiosity  above  the 
strength  of  a  boy.  This  year,  the 
twelfth  of  my  age,  I  shall  note 
as  the  most  propitious  to  the 
growth  of  my  intellectual  stature." 
Was  not  this  year  most  unfortu- 
nate, both  to  himself  and  to  all  who 
have  been  misled  by  his  writ- 
ings? 

But  Thomas  w^as  blessed  with 
parents  who  knew  how  easily  the 
mind  of  a  child  might  be  poisoned 
with  ruinous  sentiments.  Do  not, 
my  young  friend,  read  any  book 
which   is  generally  condemned  by 


94 


THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


good  men.  The  Divine  command  is, 
"Cease,  my  son,  to  hear  the  instruc- 
tions that  causeth  to  err  from  the 
^YO^ds  of  knowledge." 


^^^:^.::j^^;^- 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  MOTHER.  95 


LETTER  XIII. 

THOMAS    AND    HIS    MOTHER. 

My  dear  James, — Dr.  Doddridge, 
Sir  William  Jones,  Dr.  Timothy 
Dwight,  and  many  other  great  and 
eminent  men,  have  acknowledged 
that  they  were  deeply  indebted, 
(under  God,)  for  their  attainments, 
to  the  direction  given  to  their 
tender  minds,  by  their  pious  and 
attentive  mothers.  Like  them, 
Thomas  felt,  young  as  he  was,  his 
indebtedness  to  maternal  care ;  and 
several  times,  when  praised,  made 
use  of  expressions  like  these:  ''I 
merit  little  praise;  I  ought  to  be 


96  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

better  than  I  am,  in  view  of  the 
pains  which  have  been  taken  with 
me  from  my  infancy.'^ 

He  was  very  young  to  utter  such 
sentiments.  Had  he  survived  his 
mother,  and  lived  to  old  age,  he 
would,  doubtless,  have  felt  his  in- 
debtedness to  her  attentions,  even 
more  sensibly.  The  great  and  good 
John  IS'ewton,  who,  like  yourself, 
dear  James,  was  an  only  son,  and 
who  was  bereaved  of  his  mother 
when  he  was  seven  years  old,  was 
trained  during  this  short  period, 
much  in  the  same  manner  as  Tho- 
mas Paul  and  yourself  He  has 
left  tlie  following  record  of  his 
grateful  feelings: 

''My  mother  was  a  pious,  expe- 
rienced Christian.     She  made  it  the 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  MOTHER.  97 

chief  business  and  pleasure  of  her 
life  to  instruct  me,  and  bring  me 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord.  To  her  I  owe  that 
bent  and  bias  to  religion,  which, 
with  the  co-operating  grace  of  God, 
hath  at  length  brought  me  back  to 
those  paths  of  peace,  from  which  I 
might  have  otherwise  been  in  dan- 
ger of  deviating  for  ever.^^ 

Mrs.  Paul  had  been  led,  by  some 
observations  which  she  had  made, 
to  embrace  the  opinion,  that  sons 
of  pious  people  are  often  injured 
in  their  morals,  in  consequence  of 
being  too  little  with  their  parents. 
She  therefore  determined  to  keep 
Thomas  with  her  while  young,  pre- 
cisely as  if  he  had  been  a  daughter. 
She   found  no  difficulty  in  accom- 


98  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

plishing  her  purpose.  I  am  confi- 
dent that  no  mother  of  an  only- 
son,  pursuing  her  course,  will  have 
reason  to  say,  ''I  cannot  keep  my 
child  at  home.  He  distresses  me 
with  his  rudeness.  He  is  always 
bent  on  mischief.'^ 

As  it  is  believed  that  his  mother 
had  more  to  do  with  the  formation 
of  his  character  than  all  the  world 
besides,  I  think  you  will  be  inte- 
rested in  learning  something  of  the 
course  which  she  pursued  with  him. 
She  aimed  to  make  home  pleasant 
to  him.  She  procured  for  him  a 
variety  of  interesting  books  and 
other  amusing  presents.  She  en- 
coui'aged  him  in  all  his  innocent 
and  proper  sports. 

She  was  his  companion.     When 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  MOTHER.  99 

he  told  her  with  a  light  heart  of  his 
success  and  enjoyment,  she  listened 
and  smiled.  When  he  urged  her  to 
see  his  operations,  she  looked  and 
admired.  In  such  happy  moments 
she  found  no  <iifficulty  in  directing 
his  attention  to  the  goodness  of  God 
in  furnishing  us  with  so  many 
means  of  enjoyment,  notwithstand- 
ing our  sinfulness. 

When  .he  was  disappointed,  or 
sick,  or  distressed  in  any  way,  he 
usually  went  directly  to  her,  and 
was  soothed  by  those  looks  of 
sympathy,  tender  tones  and  kind 
remarks,  which  are  so  generally 
agreeable  to  the  sad  and  suffering. 
Sometimes  she  allayed  his  grief  by 
turning  his  attention  to  pleasing 
objects;  more  frequently  by  remark- 


100  THOMAS    0.  PAUL. 

ing  on  tlie  greater  afflictions  of 
others,  especially  of  our  Saviour,  or 
of  some  distinguished  saint;  or  by 
bringing  up  to  his  remembrance 
some  consoling  text  of  Scripture. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  he  saw 
his  mother  troubled,  he  uniformly 
attempted  to  comfort  her.  Several 
occurrences,  as  pleasing  as  the  fol- 
lowing, took  place.  One  morning 
w^hen  she  was  ill,  he  went  to  her 
bed  and  said,  ''My  mother,  I  had 
better  stay  from  school  to-day,  to 
keep  you  company."  Now  he  dis- 
liked exceedingly  to  fall  behind  his 
class.  She  told  him  it  was  not 
necessary.  So  he  went  to  school. 
During  the  recess,  he  left  his  com- 
panions and  hastened  home  to  spend 
a  few  moments  with  her.     As  soon 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  MOTHER.        101 

as  lie  found  time,  he  purchased 
some  nice  fruit  and  brought  it  to 
her. 

His  mother  read  much  to  him 
when  he  was  very  young,  and  con- 
versed upon  what  she  read.  She 
formed  his  taste  first  for  the  his- 
torical parts  of  the  Bible.  In  listen- 
ing to  her  he  never  seemed  weary. 
He  asked  many  questions,  showing 
his  interest  in  the  subject,  and  his 
sagacity. 

When  he  had  learned  to  read 
with  ease,  he  read  for  her.  Still  the 
questions  were  put,  and  the  answers 
and  reflections  and  suggestions  were 
made.  When  he  had  learned  to 
write,  he  took  great  delight  in  an- 
swering a  note  for  her  as  she  would 
dictate.     At  length,  when  she  gave 


102  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

him  the  principal  ideas  which  she 
wished  to  communicate,  he  wrote 
them  out  in  his  own  style  and  lan- 
guage. These  exercises,  early  com- 
menced and  long  continued,  will,  in 
part,  account  for  his  great  profi- 
ciency. 

In  his  last  years  he  did  much 
towards  repaying  her  for  these  early 
attentions.  With  a  most  agreeable 
manner  he  performed  a  thousand 
little  kind  offices  for  her,  sometimes 
asking  the  privilege,  and  often  be- 
fore a  word  was  said.  When  he 
could  do  no  more,  he  begged  his 
mother  not  to  grieve  immoderately 
over  his  early  death.  What  admira- 
ble considerateness  in  one  so  young. 
She  once  remarked,  "He  was,  in 
his  last  illness,  my  comforter.'^ 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  MOTHER.        103 

I  will  send  you  an  extract  from 
a  letter  written  by  his  father.  In 
it  you  will  see  Thomas  at  home. 
This  beautiful  j)icture  corresponds 
with  all  that  I  saw  or  heard  of  his 
conduct.  What  carefulness  to  give 
no  offence  to  his  mother!  What 
cheerful  submission  to  her  will! 
What  gratitude  for  her  unwearied 
pains  in  training  him ! 

"You  ask  me  to  make  you  ac- 
quainted with  the  faults  of  character 
to  which  Thomas  was  constitution- 
ally inclined,  and  by  what  means 
these  were  corrected.  Mrs.  Paul 
and  I  have  been  thinking  over  this 
inquiry,  and  have  tasked  our  memo- 
ries to  recall  what  faults  he  had, 
and  we  find  it  difficult  to  remember 
any  thing  which  could  be  truly  de- 


104  ^      THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

nominated  a  fault,  for  if  he  at  any 
time  did  any  thing  which  his  mother 
did  not  approve,  she  had  only  to 
speak  once,  never  twice,  in  an  aflec- 
tionate  manner,  and  the  act  was 
not  repeated. 

''If  at  any  time  he  asked  per- 
mission to  do  any  thing  w^hich  she 
thought  proper  to  refuse,  it  was 
always  submitted  to  at  once,  he, 
saying,  'Well,  my  mother,  if  you 
do  not  wish  me  to  do  so,  I  will  not 
ask  it,'  or  words  to  that  effect.  Fre- 
quently injudicious  friends  would 
praise  him,  he  being  present,  for  his 
goodness,  attainments,  and  the  like ; 
when  he  would  say,  '  I  don't  deserve 
any  credit  for  what  I  am.  My 
mother  always  reasoned  with  me, 
and  treated  me  as  a  companion,  not 


THOMAS  AND  HIS  MOTHER.        105 

as  children  are  often  treated  by 
their  parents,  in  a  harsh,  forbidding 
manner.'  " 

This  grateful  acknowledgment  of 
his  indebtedness  to  his  mother's  in- 
structions, reminds  me  of  a  letter 
which  Lord  Eldon,  a  Chancellor  of 
England,  wrote  to  his  mother.  As 
soon  as  he  was  made  a  j)eer  by  the 
king,  and  his  name  was  changed 
from  Sir  John  Scott  to  Lord  Eldon, 
he  hastened  to  inform  his  aged  pa- 
rent, that  she  might  rejoice  with 
him.  I  will  give  you  a  brief  extract 
from  the  letter.  It  adds  additional 
lustre  to  his  fame. 

"My  dear  mother: — I  cannot  act 
under  any  other  feeling  than  that 
you  should  be  the  first  to  whom 
I  write  after  changing  my  name.     I 


106 


THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 


feel  that,  under  the  blessing  of 
Providence,  I  owe  this,  (I  ho^^e,  I 
may  say,  I  owe  this,)  to  a  life  spent 
in  conformity  with  those  principles 
of  virtue  which  the  kindness  of 
my  father  and  mother  early  incul- 
cated." 


REGARD  FOR  THE. POOR.  107 


LETTER  XIY. 

HIS    REGARD    FOR    THE    POOR. 

My  dear  James,  —  Thomas  had 
early  learned  the  important  lesson, 
which  cannot  be  taught  us  too  soon, 
that  we  are  to  esteem  and  honour 
persons  according  to  their  real  ex- 
cellencies, and  not  according  to  their 
outward  circumstances.  The  value 
of  gold  lies  in  its  purity  and  weight, 
and  not  in  its  outside  brilliancy 
and  wide-spread  surface.  Especially 
had  he  been  carefully  trained,  from 
his  very  infancy,  to  cherish  in  his 
bosom  a  tender  regard  for  the  des- 
titute and  afflicted. 


108  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

He  was  taken  to  the  humble  cot- 
tages of  the  suffering  poor,  in  visits 
of  charity.  He  was  thus  impress- 
ively taught  the  lofty  principle  of 
Christian  sympathy.  He  beheld  the 
relief  that  kindness  imparted.  He 
saw  the  clouds  of  gloom  pass  away, 
and  the  eye  of  grief  once  more  beam 
brightly  with  joy.  He  heard  the 
thanks  which  relieved  and  grateful, 
hearts,  in  tones  of  tenderness,  sin- 
cerely expressed. 

In  his  own  breast,  thrilling  with 
happiness  in  view  of  scenes  so 
affecting,  he  felt  the  blessedness  of 
giving, — the  elevated  pleasure  of 
doing  good.  As-  soon  as  he  was  old 
enough  to  go  alone  on  an  errand  of 
sympathy,  he  was  often  sent  by  his 
mother,  and  sometimes  went  of  his 


REGARD  FOR  THE  POOR.  109 

own  accord,  to  call  upon  the  needy 
and  suffering,  and  to  make  inquiries 
respecting  their  welfare  and  wants. 
The  poor  have  remarked,  with 
thankfulness  and  admiration,  upon 
the  great  delicacy  of  feeling,  and 
true  politeness  of  manner,  with 
which  he  approached  them  in  their 
sickness  and  destitution. 

He  would  then  return  home  to 
procure  the  articles  desirable  for 
their  comfort.  In  several  instances 
he  purchased  them  with  his  own 
money,  which  he  had  saved  by  de- 
nying himself  little  indulgences. 
How  often  would  youth,  whose 
parents  are  in  good  circumstances, 
or  decidedly  wealthy,  meet  with  aid 
and  encouragement  if  they  would 
generously  pursue  a  similar  course. 

10 


110  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

I  have  no  doubt,  my  dear  James, 
that  you  yourself  are  kind  to  the 
poor.  Tou  have  relieved  their  suf- 
ferings. By  affording  happiness  to 
others,  your  own  happiness  has  been 
increased.  But  the  matter  did  not 
end  there.  The  remembrance  of  it 
is  pleasant.  In  addition  to  this, 
there  is  a  reward.  ''He  that  giveth 
to  the  poor  lendeth  to  the  Lord." 

When  Thomas  had  not  money 
sufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of 
some  needy  person,  he  has  been 
known  to  effect  the  object  by  pro- 
posing to  some  friend  to  unite  with 
him,  saying,  "I  will  bear  half  of 
the  expense."  Many  a  friend  of 
humanity,  by  his  example  and  per- 
suasions, accomplishes  more  than 
by  his  own  limited  resources.     His 


REGARD  FOR  THE  POOR.  Ill 

influence  is  as  a  ''little  leaven,  that 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump."  He 
takes  the  lead  himself,  and  as  he 
waves  a  beckoning  hand,  others 
gladly  follow. 

One  thing  is  worthy  of  notice. 
Thomas  was  very  choice  in  selecting 
his  intimate  friends.  But  he  seemed 
to  look  for  real  merit  alone,  for  a 
virtuous  life,  a  kind  disposition, 
and  a  cultivated  intellect.  Several 
of  his  choicest  and  most  beloved 
associates  were  of  embarrassed  fami- 
lies. One  of  them,  I  remember, 
was  a  poor  but  excellent  orphan. 

It  often  happens  that  a  poor  child 
is  greatly  imposed  on  by  thoughtless 
lads,  both  at  school  and  elsewhere. 
His  sufferings  from  fear  and  ridicule 
are  very  great;  greater,  no  doubt, 


112  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

than  those  who  tease  and  distress 
him  imagine.  The  only  time,  it  is 
believed,  that  Thomas  was  known 
to  be  in  danger  of  a  violent  quarrel, 
was  upon  his  stepping  forward  to 
protect  a  friendless  boy. 

I  have  now,  dear  James,  described 
the  general  principles  which  govern- 
ed him  in  his  conduct  towards  the 
poor.  In  my  next  letter  I  T\dll  men- 
tion a  few  particular  incidents  which 
greatly  interested  my  mind.  Per- 
haps this  may  have  been  partly 
owing  to  a  vivid  recollection  of  the 
engaging  manner  and  tenderness  of 
expression  with  which  he  habitually 
conferred  his  obliging  favours. 


KINDNESS  TO  THE  POOR.  113 


LETTER  XV. 

PARTICULAR  ACTS  OF  KINDNESS  TO  THE 
POOR. 

My  dear  James, — Thomas  heard 
of  the  severe  illness  of  a  very  poor 
man,  who  lived  about  a  mile  from 
his  father^  s  residence.  He  went  to 
see  him.  He  selected  appropriate 
hymns,  and  read  them.  He  then 
bought  some  rice  for  him,  with  his 
own  pocket  money. 

The  poorman^s  sunken  eye  beam- 
ed with  gratitude  and  admiration. 
He  was  heard  to  say,  "Surely  he  is 
a  little  angel. '^  Now  who  can  sup- 
pose that  any  course  of  worldly 
pleasure  can  possibly  afford  so  pure, 

10* 


114  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

SO  exalted  an  enjoyment,  as  he 
realized  from  the  frequent  exercise 
of  such  benevolent  feelings  ? 

Several  facts  like  the  following 
are  remembered  by  his  friends.  He 
proposed  to  some  one  to  unite  with 
him  in  purchasing  a  cheap  calico 
dress  for  a  worthy  poor  woman.  He 
accomplished  his  object.  She  ex- 
pressed her  thanks  in  the  tones  and 
terms  of  a  delighted  heart.  But 
probably,  ''as  it  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive,"  he  was,  of  the 
two,  by  far  the  happier. 

On  his  way  to  Baltimore,  on  one 
occasion,  he  became  deeply  inter- 
ested in  a  poor  sailor,  who,  with  all 
a  seaman's  characteristic  kindness 
to  youthful  passengers,  had  shown 
him  pleasing  attentions.     He  pro- 


KINDNESS  TO  THE  POOR.  115 

cured  for  him  a  Bible,  his  favourite 
present.  To  his  bitter  disappoint- 
ment, the  sailor,  owing  to  some 
circumstances,  never  received  it. 
On  one  of  its  blank  leaves  I  find 
these  lines  written : 

wttn,    ^ne  dcnceze  teaaed^j  ^ncU  cU   alt    teti* 
iUcie  'moment J  tn  wncUevez  ctt/me    ne  mau 
V6j  ne  wilt    aevoie  ^ne77z    ^o  Me    <i^taau  ojf 
m^e  i^uUnd  contat^ied  Aeiet7t.       ty^^td  'fnai 
ne  '?7ia'u  ^'^fou  a  ^tcn  teti^aid^  ift  ^tTne  and 


'Uen 


^d:" 


To   a  poor    person   who   is  not 
actually  suffering,  the  present  of  a 


116  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

religious  book  may  do  more  service 
than  any  other  gift.  It  has  Often 
resulted  in  a  change  of  life,  and  a 
preparation  for  eternity.  Perhaps, 
my  dear  James,  in  the  providence 
of  God,  this  Bible  did  not  reach  its 
destination  in  order  that  the  above 
lines  might  influence  you  and  other 
youth  to  act  a  similar  part  in  the 
same  spirit. 

On  a  cold  day,  two  years  before 
his  death,  a  poor  boy,  thinly  clad, 
came  on  some  errand  to  see  his 
mother.  Thomas  requested  per- 
mission to  give  him  his  overcoat, 
Avliich  was  but  little  w^orn.  ''Let 
me  give  it  to  him,  if  you  please," 
said  he,  "and  I  will  buy  a  cheap 
one  for  myself.'^  She  assented.  He 
then  bought  for  himself  one  of  an 


KINDNESS  TO  THE  POOR.  117 

inferior  quality,  and  for  half  the 
price. 

Three  winters  after,  the  boy  being 
seen  thinly  clad  again,  was  asked 
if  he  had  worn  out  that  coat;  "0 
no,"  said  he,  ''I  keep  it  to  wear  to 
Sunday-school.'^  What  youth,  whose 
wants  have  always  been  supplied, 
can  realize  the  comfort  which  has 
been  derived  from  that  gift  ?  Who 
can  compute  the  possible  influence 
of  that  Sabbath-school  on  his  young 
and  susceptible  mind  ? 

How  delightful  would  it  be  if  all 
our  youths  who  have  good  homes 
and  kind  parents  would  feel  thus 
for  destitute  orphan  children !  How 
much  suffering  would  be  relieved! 
How  many  drooping  hearts  would 


118  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

be  cheered !     What  lasting  benefits 
would  be  conferred ! 

During  his  last  sickness,  he  re- 
quested his  mother  to  buy  a  pair  of 
shoes  for  a  poor  woman  on  whom  he 
had  previously  bestowed  acts  of 
kindness.  When  she  came  to  see 
him,  he  surprised  her  by  saying, 
*'Here  is  a  pair  of  shoes  for  you.  I 
hope  they  will  not  let  you  suffer 
when  I  am  gone.  Trust  in  the 
Lord.     He  will  take  care  of  you." 


INTERCOURSE  WITH  THE  YOUNG.    119 


LETTER  XVI. 

HIS    INTERCOURSE    WITH    THE    YOUNG. 

My  dear  James,  —  Thomas  was 
companionable.  Never  neglectful 
of  his  studies,  he  was  ready,  at  all 
proper  hours,  to  engage  in  innocent 
amusements.  Then  his  laugh  was 
joyous  and  free.  He  would  strive 
for  victory  with  emulous  perseve- 
rance, bear  a  defeat  with  becoming 
grace,  and  enjoy  success  without 
boisterous  and  disagreeable  exulta- 
tion. 

This  shining  point  in  his  charac- 
ter, this  uniform  calmness  when 
excelled  or  excelling,  is,  my  dear 


120  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

James,  particulaiiy  worthy  of  no- 
tice. To  be  much  distm^bed  by  dis- 
appointment, and  to  be  too  much 
elated  by  success,  are  two  very  com- 
mon failings.  These  great  defects 
in  character  usually  go  together. 
Let  me  entreat  you  to  strive,  while 
you  are  young,  to  form  the  habit  of 
composure  in  all  circumstances. 

His  manner  was  gentle,  affection- 
ate, and  decidedly  engaging.  Re- 
spectful to  his  seniors,  social  with 
his  equals,  and  uniformly  kind  to 
every  human  being  with  whom  he 
had  intercourse,  he  made  it  appa- 
rent that  his  politeness,  free  from 
affectation  and  selfish  aims,  was 
firmly  based  on  the  substantial  ex- 
cellencies of  a  good  and  feeling 
heart.     His  whole  intercourse  was 


INTERCOUKSE  WITH  THE  YOUNG.    121 

marked  with  three  important  prin- 
ciples which  every  youth  should 
cultivate, — affection,  sincerity,  and 
constancy.  From  these  pure  foun- 
tains, his  delightful  attentions  flowed 
in  clear  and  refreshing  streams. 

In  childhood  he  had  been  judi- 
ciously kept  from  mingling  promis- 
cuously with  vicious  children  in 
the  streets.  As  he  had  not  been 
accustomed  to  this  ill-timed  indul- 
gence, he  did  not  regard  the  re- 
straint as  disagreeable.  The  diffi- 
culty which  many  parents  in  our 
cities  and  towns  experience  in  con- 
trolling their  children,  has  its  ori- 
gin, generally,  in  early  liberties  in- 
considerately granted. 

The  good  effects  of  a  proper  re- 
straint will  appear  from  the  follow- 
11 


122  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

ing  incident.  In  his  eleventh  or 
twelfth  year  he  requested  permis- 
sion to  play  in  the  streets  with 
certain  companions.  He  returned 
home  at  the  appointed  time.  On 
another  day  he  easily  obtained  a 
similar  favour,  but  came  back  in  a 
few  minutes,  and  upon  being  asked 
the  reason,  said,  ''I  cannot  play  in 
the  streets  without  associating  with 
boys  who  use  profane  and  vulgar 
language.  They  will  join  in  our 
sports.  So  I  have  made  up  my 
mind  to  stay  at  home.^^  Month 
after  month  he  kept  his  determina- 
tion. He  had  a  remarkably  quiet, 
silent,  unoffending  way  of  with- 
drawing from  improper  company. 

On  one  occasion,  in  Norfolk,  he 
was  invited   to   a  party  of  young 


INTERCOURSE  WITH  THE  YOUNG.    123 

persons.  No  one  enjoyed  it  for  a 
while  more  than  himself.  At  length 
the  amusement  took  a  turn  which 
did  not  meet  his  approbation.  He  ex- 
pressed no  dissent,  but,  unobserved, 
withdrew.  When  missed,  he  was 
sent  for,  and  entreated  to  return, 
with  an  assurance  that  he  should 
not  again  have  any  reason  to  com- 
plain. He  went  back  and  spent 
the  evening  to  his  entire  satisfac- 
tion. 

Here  it  must  be  observed  that  he 
never  showed  an  aversion  to  any 
associates  merely  because  their  pa- 
rents were  poor.  On  the  contrary, 
some  of  his  most  valued  friends 
were  of  this  class.  He  doubtless 
considered  that  in  this  world  of 
changes,  he  himself  might  yet  be 


124  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

in  want.  He  certainly  knew  that 
many  of  the  best  and  most  dis- 
tinguished men  had  sprung  from 
poor  parents.  But  the  vicious, 
whether  rich  or  poor,  he  carefully 
shunned.  No  advantage  of  wealth 
or  birth  could  make  the  profane, 
vulgar,  or  deceitful,  in  his  estima- 
tion, respectable.  Let  this  senti- 
ment be  early  embraced.  It  is 
lamentable  to  see  so  many  of  the 
most  favoured  youth  end  their  lives, 
shortened  by  vice,  in  disgrace  and 
wretchedness. 

Many  who  are  not  guilty  of  gross- 
ly vulgar  language,  still  make  use  of 
coarse  expressions,  which,  through  a 
great  mistake,  they  regard  as  witty. 
This  makes  them  appear  very  ridi- 
culous in  the  eyes  of  all  judicious 


INTERCOUKSE  WITH  THE  YOUNG.    125 

persons.  From  this  fault  no  one 
was  more  free  than  Thomas.  Among 
his  companions  he  always  expressed 
his  ideas  in  as  plain,  good  English 
as  he  w^ould  have  used  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  parents. 

''  He  that  hath  friends/^  as  well  as 
he  that  would  have  friends,  "must 
show  himself  friendly.'^  He  was 
friendly  and  had  friends.  Day  after 
day,  for  some  time  during  his  long 
illness,  some  one  of  his  fellow-stu- 
dents went  to  his  father's  house  to 
inquire  after  the  state  of  his  health, 
and  then  hastened  back  with  the 
news.  According  to  the  nature  of 
this  information,  which  was  commu- 
nicated at  the  hour  of  worship, 
more  than  a  hundred  countenances 

were  brightened  with  joy,  or  over- 
11* 


126 


THOMAS    C.  PAUL, 


cast  with  gloom.  When  his  death 
was  at  length  announced,  several 
were  seen  to  weep.  Every  tear 
flowed  from  some  tender  recollec- 
tion of  his  past  life,  so  marked  with 
consistency  and  kindness. 


^«W«  Tlniiim,..|, 


THOMAS  AND  THE  SERVANTS.     127 


LETTER  XVII. 

THOMAS    AND    THE    SERVANTS. 

My  dear  James, — Many  children, 
neglected  by  their  parents,  hear 
from  servants  frightful  tales  of 
ghosts,  and  of  other  terrific  things, 
which  do  not  exist.  They  are  often 
made  timid  by  these  foolish  stories 
whilst  they  are  young.  They  some- 
times continue  to  suffer  from  them 
for  many  years.  Thomas's  mother 
requested  the  servants  never  to  tell 
him  any  horrible  tales.  She  gave 
him  the  more  exquisite  pleasure  of 
hearing  true  and  profitable*  narra- 
tions from  the  Bible.     Truth,  to  a 


128  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

sound  mind,  is  more  delightful  tlian 
fiction. 

Had  he  been  much  with  the  ser- 
vants, he  would  have  conversed  in 
their  style.  Children  always  con- 
verse like  their  constant  associates. 
If  they  hear  from  infancy  pure  and 
grammatical  language,  their  lan- 
guage will  be  likewise  pure  and 
grammatical.  If  at  any  time  he 
had  caught  an  improper  word  or 
expression  from  the  servants,  his 
parents  corrected  his  speech  imme- 
diately. By  being  thus  trained,  he 
was  kept  from  a  worse  fault  than 
rude,  ungrammatical  language;  he 
was  kept  from  loving  low,  vulgar 
expressions. 

But  there  is  a  third  and  much 
greater  evil  which  many  children, 


THOMAS  AND  THE  SERVANTS.     129 

through  the  neglect  of  their  parents, 
suffer  from  the  servants.  This 
evil  is  the  injury  of  their  morals. 
They  sometimes  learn  from  them  to 
be  deceitful,  cruel,  profane,  and 
otherwise  vicious.  Whilst  in  many 
a  kitchen,  some  children  of  wealthy 
parents  were  taught  by  servants 
their  first  steps  in  the  way  to  ruin, 
Thomas  was  receiving  from  his 
parents  the  best  of  instruction. 
Can  you,  my  dear  James,  be  suffi- 
ciently thankful  that  you  have  been 
trained  in  a  similar  manner  ? 

I  must  not  hold  out  the  idea 
that  all  servants  would  corrupt 
children.  Many  of  them  are  very 
moral,  and  some  very  pious.  Let 
such  be  esteemed,  as  they  should  be 
esteemed,  very  highly.     Do  you  re- 


130  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

member  to  have  read  the  beautiful 
tract,  ''Henry  and  his  Bearer?" 
That  bearer  was  a  pious  servant. 
I  know  that  Thomas,  with  his  cor- 
rect views  of  religion,  would  rather 
have  been  that  servant,  than  to 
have  been  a  wicked  king.  But  as 
one  vicious  servant  may  ruin  a 
child,  his  parents  took  the  wisest 
course  by  keeping  him  so  much 
with  themselves. 

When  you  see  the  means  which 
were  used  by  his  parents,  and 
blessed  of  God  in  the  formation  of 
his  character,  your  reason  is  exer- 
cised, and  your  judgment  improved. 
Doubtless  he  never  w^ould  have 
been  what  he  was,  if  he  had  not  been 
kept,  when  young,  from  evil  and 
from  thoughtless  servants,  as  well 


THOMAS  AND  THE  SERVANTS.     131 

as  from  ill-bred  and  vicious  chil- 
dren. I  will  now  write  you  an 
account  of  his  intercourse  with 
them  at  a  later  period. 

He  was  trained  never  to  speak  to 
servants  in  a  haughty,  command- 
ing tone.  This  manner  is  most 
disgusting  in  a  young  person,  no 
matter  how  wealthy  or  great  his 
father  may  be.  It  may  arise  from 
a  want  of  sense,  or  from  a  proud 
heart,  or  from  a  tyrannical  disposi- 
tion, or  from  the  whole  combined. 
In  his  intercourse  with  them,  Tho- 
mas made  his  requests  mildly,  and 
was  attended  to  cheerfully. 

He  made  no  complaints  of  the 
servants.  At  least  it  was  not  his 
habit  to  complain.  If  he  ever  did, 
their  faults  must  have  been  very 


132  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

great.  Once  he  was  sitting  out 
upon  the  seat  of  the  carriage  driver, 
who,  being  intoxicated,  drove  ra- 
pidly within  a  few  inches  of  a 
curbstone.  Had  the  wheel  struck 
it,  the  accident  might  have  been 
serious.  He  made  no  complaint  to 
his  parents  upon  reaching  home. 
But  he  begged  the  servant  (and  if 
my  memory  is  correct,  induced  him) 
to  join  the  temperance  society. 

He  was  regardful  of  the  happi- 
ness of  servants.  He  certainly  was 
so,  if  we  consider  his  age.  Most 
young  people  do  not  sufficiently 
bear  in  mind  that  servants  may  be 
weary,  or  weak,  or  sick.  Queen 
Charlotte,  of  England,  asked  one  of 
her  daughters  to  read  aloud  to  her. 
Every  time  she  paused,  the  Queen 


THOMAS  AND  THE  SERVANTS.     133 

said,  ''Eead  on,  if  you  please/^  At 
length,  exhausted,  she  burst  into 
tears.  ''This  was  intentional,  my 
daughter/'  said  the  Queen,  "to 
teach  you  to  have  more  feeling  for 
your  maids,  and  not  to  exact  too 
much  of  them.'' 

His  kindness  to  servants  was 
very  remarkable.  He  made  them 
many  presents.  When  they  were 
sick  he  would  visit  them,  and  make 
friendly  inquiries.  Sabbath  after 
Sabbath  he  read  the  Scriptures  to 
them.  He  had  a  pleasant  manner 
in  reading.  They  were  glad  to  hear 
him.  In  his  last  illness  they  did 
all  they  could  do  for  him.  They 
expressed  great  concern.  When  all 
hope  was  gone,  they  wept  as  if  he 
had  been  a  relative. 

12 


134:  THOMAS  C.  PAUL. 

His  efforts  to  be  useful  at  home 
were  like  the  youthful  efforts  of  the 
celebrated  Dr.  Cotton  Mather,  who 
was  bom  in  Boston  in  1663.  "  He 
commenced,'^  says  his  biographer, 
"a  life  of  the  most  active  benefi- 
cence when  very  young ;  and  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  adopted  as  a  maxim, 
that  a  power  and  an  opportunity  to 
do  good,  not  only  gives  the  right  of 
doing  it,  but  makes  it  a  positive 
duty. 

''On  this  maxim  he  determined 
to  act,  and  continued  to  do  so 
during  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
Accordingly  he  began  in  his  father^  s 
family,  by  doing  all  the  good  in  his 
power  to  his  brothers  and  sisters, 
and  to  the  servants."  I  hope,  my 
dear  James,  that  you  will  always,  in 


THOMAS  AND  THE  SERVANTS.     135 

like  manner,  aim  to  promote  the 
happiness  and  piety  of  all  aromid 
you,  including  the  domestics. 


136  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XVIIL 

THOMAS    AT    SCHOOL. 

My  dear  James, — Thomas  went  to 
school  cheerfully.  He  knew  that 
education  was  necessary.  What 
must  be  done  ought  to  be  done 
with  a  good  grace.  Bear  this  in 
mind,  dear  James.  If  you  live 
long,  you  will  be  called  upon  to  do 
ten  thousand  things  against  your 
inclination.  He  that  does  his  duty 
reluctantly,  is  unhappy  at  the  time. 
He  that  neglects  his  duty  wholly,  is 
unhappy  afterwards.  He  that  does 
his  duty  promptly,  is  happy  in  the 
performance  and  happy  in  the  result. 

Thomas  went  to  school  regularly. 


THOMAS  AT  SCHOOL.  137 

This  was  owing  partly  to  the  habits 
of  order  to  which  he  had  been 
trained ;  partly  to  a  desire  of  keeping 
up  with  his  class ;  and  partly,  per- 
haps, to  a  conviction  that  knowledge 
is  a  rich  reward  for  perseverance. 
I  never  knew  a  pupil  who  often 
stayed  from  school  without  cause, 
to  love  his  books,  or  to  make  good 
progress.  It  is  strange  that  so 
many  parents  never  reflect  that  a 
day's  absence  throws  a  child  out  of 
his  course,  and  thus  makes  the  path 
of  knowledge  more  steep  and  dis- 
agreeable. I  am  happy  to  know 
that  you  love  your  school.  If  you 
did  not,  I  would  say,  go  daily,  and 
go  manfully,  and  you  will  love  it. 
Habit  brings  contentment  to  the 
young. 

12* 


138  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

At  scliool  lie '  liad  no  quarrels. 
This  resulted  from  his  unwillingness 
either  to  give  offence,  or  to  take 
offence.  This  is  a  happy  disposi- 
tion. Cultivate  it  by  all  means. 
You  will  then  rarely  be  molested 
even  by  the  most  envious  and  trou- 
blesome. Be  kind  to  all,  and  keep 
out  of  the  way  of  harm.  Tou  will 
then  have,  as  Thomas  had,  so  many 
friends,  that  the  quarrelsome  will  let 
you  alone.  I  will  give  you  another 
important  rule.  Carefully  observe 
the  conduct  of  those  persons  who 
constantly  live  in  peace  with  all 
around  them. 

At  school  he  played  no  tricks. 
He  always,  from  a  child,  regarded 
that  species  of  amusement  as  con- 
temptible.    At  a  proper  time,  he 


THOMAS  AT  SCHOOL.  139 

loved  open,  vigorous  play,  exceed- 
ingly. But  he  despised  a  sly  action, 
especially  an  action  that  would  give 
another  pain. .  He  could  not  seek 
his  iDleasure  in  another's  distress. 
Much  less  would  he  join  in  a  crowd 
to  tease  and  torment  the  helpless. 

At  school  he  practised  no  manner 
of  deceit.  He  had  no  improper 
object  to  require  it.  He  had  done 
nothing  amiss  to  conceal.  He  never 
pretended  to  know  a  lesson  which 
he  had  not  learned.  He  had  an 
utter  abhorrence  of  all  falsehood, 
and  of  every  other  species  of  deceit, 
even  for  the  purpose  of  amusement. 
His  teachers  will  all  testify  that  they 
never  knew  him  in  any  way  to 
encourage  others  to  indulge  in  this 
proj)ensity.      When    you    see  one 


140  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

trifle  with  truth  for  sport,  you  have 
reason  to  suspect  that  he  may  yet 
trifle  with  truth  in  earnest. 

Thomas  made  no  complaint 
against  his  school.  He  once  said 
to  his  mother,  when  he  was  very 
young,  "I  would  like  my  school 
better,  if  it  were  less  disorderly.'' 
But  in  his  latter  years  he  appeared 
warmly  attached  to  every  one  of 
his  schools.  If  he  saw  faults,  he 
made  allowance  for  them ;  at  least 
he  passed  them  by  in  silence.  Some, 
if  you  take  their  word  for  it,  are 
always  sent  to  miserable  schools. 
The  rules  are  too  strict  or  too  lax ; 
the  lessons  too  few  or  too  many.  I 
fear  every  thing  will  be  wrong  with 
them  as  long  as  they  live.  Ask 
yourself,  "Is  this  my  disposition?" 


THOMAS  AT  SCHOOL.  141 

He  obeyed  the  rules  of  his  school. 
He  did  not  trouble  himself  to  in- 
quire whether  the  regulations  were 
the  best  that  could  be  adopted.  He 
simply  asked,  ''  What  are  they  ?"  So 
conscientiously  did  he  observe  them, 
that,  it  is  believed,  he  was  never 
reproved,  much  less  punished.  One 
of  his  teachers  once  said,  ''I  could 
superintend  five  hundred  pupils,  if 
they  were  all  as  considerate  and  as 
obedient  and  as  apt  as  Thomas 
Paul.'^  With  this  dignity  of  cha- 
racter, contrast  the  waywardness  of 
many.  How  frivolous  does  their 
conduct  appear! 

He  went  to  school  to  learn.  He 
made  it  an  invariable  rule  to  ac- 
quire a  thorough  knowledge  of 
all  his  lessons.      No   amusement, 


142  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

however  tempting,  no  companion, 
however  much  beloved,  no  interest- 
ing news,  no  fascinating  book  could 
draw  him  from  an  assigned  task, 
till  he  had  thoroughly  mastered  it. 
Such  perseverance  is  talent,  and  the 
most  uniformly  profitable  talent. 
Quickness  of  apprehension,  a  re- 
markable memory,  a  lively  imagina- 
tion, may  be  called  more  brilliant, 
but  they  are  frequently  united  to  a 
fickleness  of  disposition  destructive 
of  all  success. 

He  distinguished  himself  at 
school.  He  was  uniformly  among 
the  very  first  in  his  class  in  all  the 
ordinary  English  branches;  in  the 
Mathematics,  in  the  Latin,  Greek, 
and  French.  He  appeared  to  make 
the  same  rapid  progress  in  all  his 


THOMAS  AT  SCHOOL. 


143 


studies,  because  he  took  them  all 
up  with  the  same  unyielding  deter- 
mination. He  excelled  more  par- 
ticularly in  debate  and  declamation. 
But  his  noblest  distinction  was  to 
be  found  in  his  high  moral  excel- 
lencies. 


144  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XIX. 

HIS    NEATNESS. 

My  dear  James, — "Cleanliness  is 
next  to  godliness."  This  is  a  re- 
mark, or  a  quotation  of  the  great 
and  good  John  Wesley,  who  care- 
fully weighed  his  words.  Now  great 
as  this  excellence  is,  and  neat  as 
Thomas  was,  I  hesitated  awhile  be- 
fore I  decided  to  write  the  following 
particulars.  At  last  I  concluded 
that  it  might  possibly  confirm  you 
in  your  present  good  habits,  or  at 
least  amuse  you,  to  be  made  more 
minutely  acquainted  with  one  who 
was  brought  up  some  hundred  miles 
distant. 


HIS    NEATNESS.  145 

He  made  a  very  free  and  very 
frequent  use  of  water,  in  washing. 
Formerly  it  was  said,  (perhaps  not 
without  cause,)  that,  in  this  respect, 
we,  as  a  nation,  fell  behind  some  of 
the  European  nations.  This  obser- 
vation was  never  true  of  a  large 
portion  of  our  families.  But  lat- 
terly the  bath,  I  am  happy  to  be- 
lieve, is  more  universally  resorted 
to  by  people  of  every  condition 
in  life.  Frequent  application  of 
water  is  beneficial  to  health,  and 
absolutely  indispensable  to  all  per- 
sonal neatness. 

He  was  not  neglectful  of  his 
hands.  There  is  a  Latin  proverb, 
"  He  is  a  gentleman  to  the  very  nail," 
meaning  that  his  nails  showed  no 
want  of  attention.   Persons  engaged 

13 


146  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

in  some  kinds  of  manual  labour  can* 
not,  of  course,  always  preserve  so 
neat  an  appearance  of  their  hands. 
But  all  people  of  any  sense  will 
make  due  allowance  for  these  cases. 

Thomas  was  attentive  to  his 
hair.  All  who  knew  him  well,  can- 
not fail  to  remember  that  it  was  ha- 
bitually well  brushed,  nicely  part- 
ed, smooth  and  glossy.  The  hair  is 
greatly  preserved  and  improved  by 
attention.  Does  not  this  seem  to  in- 
dicate, that  it  was  our  Creator's  de- 
sign that  it  should  not  be  neglected  ? 
But  he  never  wore  his  hair  in  any 
unusual  or  fantastic  manner.  That 
would  have  shown  great  weak- 
ness. 

He  was  very  careful  of  his  teeth. 
Apart  from  personal   comfort  and 


HIS    NEATNESS.  147 

appearance,  the  frequent  use  of  the 
tooth-brush  preserves  the  teeth  from 
decay,  and  the  gums  in  a  healthful 
state.  The  whiteness  of  his  teeth 
indicated  this  habit.  Many  who 
have  neglected  their  teeth  in  early 
life  have  deeply  regretted  it.  when 
regrets  were  unavailing.  If  this 
hint,  my  dear  James,  should  make 
you  more  careful  of  yours,  I  am 
sure  you  will  be  thankful  for  it,  in 
future  years,  should  it  please  God 
to  prolong  your  life. 

His  dress  was  always  neat.  I 
saw  him  daily  for  a  long  period,  and 
I  never  saw  him  when  he  did  not 
appear  well  enough  to  be  seen  in  a 
public  assembly.  His  collar  was 
unsoiled.  His  clothes  were  all  in 
good  condition  and  well  adjusted. 


148  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

But  he  never  seemed  to  pride  him- 
self upon  such  things.  A  sloven 
thinks  nothing  of  dress.  A  fop 
thinks  every  thing  of  dress.  But  he 
was  neither  a  sloven  nor  a  fop. 

His  writing  was  neat.  It  was 
likewise  plain.  His  copy-book,  let- 
ters and  essays,  were  free  from 
blots,  and  for  the  most  part  free 
from  mistakes,  which  required  era- 
sures and  interlining.  This  habit 
of  writing  neatly,  without  mistakes, 
requires  in  early  life  a  great  deal 
of  close  attention.  Plainness  in 
writing  is  desirable,  that  our  cor- 
respondents may  not  be  perplexed ; 
and  neatness  that  they  may  not  be 
disgusted. 

He  was  neat  in  the  use  of  books. 
He  left  no  prints  of  fingers  on  them, 


HIS   NEATNESS.  149 

for  reasons  already  explained.  He 
never  laid  them  down  in  improper 
places.  He  had  not  the  bad  habit 
of  turning  down  a  leaf  to  keep  the 
place.  He  had  not  the  worse  habit 
of  turning  an  open  book  over  on  a 
table  to  keep  the  place.  Be  par- 
ticularly careful,  dear  James,  of 
your  own,  but  especially  of  your 
friend's  book,  for  you  know  not  how 
much  he  may  prize  it. 

Perhaps,  in  order  to  describe  him 
as  he  was,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to 
tell  you  that  he  did  not  violate  the 
three  following  rules  of  ''the  boy  of 
few  words."  This  boy  was  the  son 
of  a  good  man  in  the  mountains, 
who  wrote  rules  for  children.  One 
day  the  boy  tried  his  hand  and  said, 

''  Father,  I  think  some  of  your  long 

13* 


150  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

rules  can  be  shortened.  For  your 
Eule  First :  Eat  carefully.  Spread 
your  napldn  out  on  your  lap.  Do 
not  soil  the  table-cloth,  &c.,  I  would 
write :  Eat  genteelly.'^ 

''Excellent/^  said  the  father,  "if 
everybody  knew  what  genteelly 
means.'^ 

*'For  your  Rule  Second;  Bathe 
your  feet  every  day  in  cold  or  warm 
water.  Change  your  stockings  fre- 
quently. See  that  your  shoes  are 
w^ell  cleaned.  Beware  where  you 
step.  Make  good  use  of  the  scraper 
and  mat  at  the  door,  &c.,  I  would 
write.    Keep  your  shoes  clean  and 

ALL  within  TIIEM." 

''  Admirable,"  replied  the  father. 
"  For  your  Rule  Third ;  Never  in- 
crease the  rapidly  decreasing  class 


HIS   NEATNESS.  151 

of  persons  who  spit  on  the  floor,  on 
the  hearth,  in  the  church,  &c.,  I 
would  write :  Never  spit." 

*'  But,  my  son,  there  is  no  chewing 
tobacco,  without  it.'' 

''It  is  a  strong  argument,  my 
father,  against  the  weed." 

''To  keep  your  rule,  my  child,  I 
must  for  ever  lay  down  my  tobacco- 
box." 

"  To  keep  my  rule,  father,  I  will 
never  take  it  up." 


152  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XX, 


HIS    POLITENESS. 


My  dear  James,  —  A  thousand 
youth,  perhaps,  could  have  been 
found  to  equal  Thomas  in  polite- 
ness ;  but  it  would  have  been  difficult 
to  find  one  to  excel  him.  Now,  as 
genuine  politeness  is  the  result  of 
many  excellencies,  I  think  it  is  a 
part  of  his  character  which  may  be 
profitably  considered.  I  saw  his 
politeness.  I  felt  it.  Real  polite- 
ness, like  the  sun,  is  always  felt,  if 
seen.  It  cheers  and  warms  the 
heart. 

Nothing  is  more  imiversally  ad- 


HIS  POLITENESS.  153 

mired  by  persons  of  all  ages,  prin- 
ciples, habits  and  conditions,  than 
true  politeness.  The  dullest  feel  its 
influence.  The  most  hardened  are 
softened  by  it.  It  has  a  word  for 
all,  a  smile  for  all,  an  obliging  act 
for  all.  I  saw  so  much  of  his 
manner  that  I  can  well  imagine 
that  he  was  spoken  of  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms.  I  will  suppose  some 
conversations  which  I  believe  will 
represent  him  to  you  just  as  he 
was. 

''Mother,''  says  some  little  child, 
''I  am  glad  that  Thomas  Paul  has 
come.  Will  you  let  me  go  and  see 
him  ?  No  matter  how  many  are  in 
the  room,  he  always  says  something 
to  me.''  Another  interrupts  him, 
saying,   "That  is  nothing  strange. 


151  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

He  always  says  something  to  me 
too ;  and  to  everybody.  "When  he 
was  here  before,  while  he  was  talk- 
ing to  mother,  he  took  hold  of  my 
hand.  I  am  as  glad  that  he  has 
come  as  you  are.'^  "Ton  may  both 
go  and  see  him  a  little  while ;  but 
let  me  tell  you  first,  if  you  would 
be  truly  polite,  you  must  do  as  he 
does,  you  must  notice  every  one 
present.'^ 

An  aged  man  remarks,  ''I  found 
the  house  crowded.  But  while  I 
was  standing  at  the  door,  Thomas 
Paul  beckoned  me  to  come  and  take 
his  seat.  How  much  that  was  like 
him.  One  day  he  saw  me  trying 
to  open  a  gate.  He  ran  up,  opened 
it,  and  held  it  till  I  passed  through. 
When  I  thanked  him,  he  said,  '  It  is 


HIS  POLITENESS.  155 

a  pleasure/  and  passed  on.  I  wish 
that  all  young  people  would  take 
pleasure  in  showing  little  kind  at- 
tentions to  an  old  man  like  myself. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  signs  of  good 
breeding.'^ 

A  lady  observes,  *^I  was  very 
much  amused  in  seeing  Thomas 
Paul  in  an  argument  with  some  of 
his  companions.  He  was  inter- 
rupted several  times.  But  he  was 
too  polite  to  interrupt  any  of  them. 
At  one  time,  some  advantage  was 
apparently  gained  over  him,  and  a 
loud  laugh  followed.  He  took  it 
good-naturedly,  and  said,  'A  laugh 
is  no  argument.'  He  added,  'While 
you  are  laughing,  I  will  find  the 
very  page  to  prove  what  I  said.' 
He  opened  the  history,  and  in  a 


156  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

very  earnest  manner  read  a  few 
sentences,  which  settled  the  ques- 
tion in  his  favour.  I  never  saw 
him  appear  to  so  great  an  advan- 
tage as  he  did  at  that  moment. 
He  did  not  exult  in  the  least,  but, 
shutting  up  the  book,  he  opened 
another  full  of  engravings,  and,  in 
a  pleasant  manner,  changed  the 
conversation.'^ 

Another  lady  says,  ''What  I  ad- 
mire in  him  exceedingly  is,  his 
attentiveness  to  all  around  him. 
His  mother  dropped  her  scissors. 
He  stepped  round  and  picked  them 
up  immediately.  One  remarked,  '  It 
is  very  warm.'  'Will  you  have  the 
other  window  raised?'  said  he.  I 
never  saw  any  one  of  his  age  more 
mindful  of  the  comfort  of  others." 


HIS  POLITENESS.  157 

A  friend  replies,  "While  you 
were  thinking  of  his  obliging  spirit, 
I  was  observing  his  easy  manner. 
It  all  appears  natural  in  him.  He 
does  not  forget  himself  so  as  to  act 
awkwardly.  He  does  not  think  of 
himself  so  as  to  act  affectedly.  He 
seems  to  have  a  desire  to  please, 
and  to  know  what  will  please.  This 
desire  and  this  knowledge  give  a 
graceful  air  to  all  his  conduct.^' 

A  companion  remarks,  "He was 
never  known  to  tease  any  one.  If  a 
play-fellow  fell,  he  would  ask,  '  Are 
you  hurt?'  So  far  from  inventing 
nick-names,  he  would  not  repeat 
them  after  others.  '  Don't  call  him 
by  that  name,'  he  would  say,  'for  I 
am  certain  it  will  hurt  his  feelings.' 
He  never  addressed  any  of  us  in  a 

14 


158  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

rough,  boisterous,  rude  manner.  He 
always  spoke  politely,  even  when 
most  excited. '' 

A  minister  writes,  ''Thomas 
Paul  could  assign  reasons  for  his 
opinions  with  admirable  ease  and 
clearness.  But  I  observed,  in  all 
my  conversations  with  him,  that  he 
appeared  more  anxious  to  listen 
than  to  talk.  Indeed,  I  think  I 
never  saw  a  youth  more  invariably 
disposed  to  listen.  His  manner  of 
asking  for  information  was  so  polite, 
that  I  almost  forgot  he  was  but 
thirteen." 

I  am  very  confident,  my  dear 
James,  that  the  politeness  of  Tho- 
mas C.  Paul  fully  corresponded  with 
the  above  sketch.  That  you  may 
see  in  w^hat  estimation  great  and 


HIS  POLITENESS. 


159 


good  men  hold  true  politeness,  I 
will  copy  a  few  lines  written  by  the 
celebrated  William  Penn:  "I  love 
sweetness  mixed  with  gravity,  and 
cheerfulness  tempered  with  sobriety. 
Religion  in  the  heart  leads  into  this 
true  civility,  teaching  men  and  wo- 
men to  be  mild  and  courteous  in 
their  behaviour,  an  accomplishment 
w^orthy  indeed  of  praise.'^ 


160  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XXL 

HIS  DEVOTION  TO  THE  CAUSE  OF  TEM- 
PERANCE. 

My  dear  James,  —  Thomas  had 
from  his  earliest  years  steadfastly 
refused  to  partake  of  spirituous 
stimulants.  But  in  this  age,  when 
so  many  of  our  lovely  youth  firmly 
withstand  every  temptation  to  this 
dangerous  indulgence,  he  may  be 
regarded,  in  this  respect,  as  one  of 
a  very  numerous  class,  rather  than 
as  a  singular  instance.  A  single 
generation  ago,  his  course  would 
have  appeared  very  remarkable. 

But  now  he  has  left  behind  him 
happy  crowds  of  determined  youth, 


DEVOTION  TO  TEMPERANCE.       161 

who  never  touch  the  intoxicating 
cup.  By  persevering  in  this  course, 
they  will  be  saved  from  countless 
ills.  But  others,  who  tarry  long  at 
the  wine,  which  "at  last  biteth  like 
a  serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an 
adder,''  will  have  wo,  and  sorrow, 
and  contentions,  and  babblings, 
and  wounds  without  cause,  and  red- 
ness of  eyes. 

Let  it  be  deeply  impressed  on 
your  mind,  my  dear  James,  that 
the  calamities  resulting  from  intem- 
perance are  indescribably  awful; 
and  that  any  youth  who  allows 
himself  to  drink  any  alcoholic  beve- 
rage is  in  very  great  danger  of 
utter  ruin.  On  the  other  hand, 
this  band,  freely  pledged  to  safe 
principles,  as  far  as  these  evils  are 

14* 


162  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

concerned,  resembles  a  clear  moun- 
tain rill  of  sparkling  water.  In 
their  onward  progress  they  touch  no 
corrupting  mixture,  to  deprive  them 
of  their  native  brightness. 

Beloved  and  admired  as  he  was 
by  the  coloured  people,  Thomas 
knew,  that,  notwithstanding  his 
early  age,  he  might  hope  to  interest 
them  in  the  cause  of  temperance. 
He  argued  with  them.  He  read  to 
them  extracts  from  documents.  He 
repeated  to  them  remarks  from 
addresses.  Several  yielded  to  his 
persevering  solicitation.  If  any  one 
violated  the  pledge,  he  earnestly 
entreated  him  to  make  a  second 
trial. 

So  benevolent  an  effort  to  instruct 
the  ignorant,  prosecuted  for  years, 


DEVOTION  TO  TEMPERANCE.       163 

must  necessarily  have  improved 
him  in  many  respects,  especially  in 
the  use  of  language.  His  remark- 
able fluency  of  speech  and  readiness 
in  argument  resulted  in  part,  no 
doubt,  from  these  continued  exer- 
cises. In  teaching  others  we  instruct 
ourselves.  ''  He  that  watereth  shall 
be  watered  also  himself." 

In  my  next  letter  I  will  give  you 
an  extract  from  a  temperance  ad- 
dress which  he  delivered  before  his 
fellow-students,  on  a  pubUc  occa- 
sion. I  will  here  say  a  few  things 
respecting  his  style  of  speaking. 
It  was  so  remarkably  eloquent,  so 
uniformly  happy,  that  he  had  pre- 
viously been  elected  a  member  of  a 
debating  society,  of  which  he  con- 
tinued to  be,  up  to  his  death,  by  far 


164  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

the  youngest  member,  and,  it  is  be- 
lieved, one  of  the  most  esteemed 
disputants. 

The  youthfulness  of  his  appear- 
ance, his  graceful  form  and  natural 
gestures,  his  kindling  animation, 
his  sparkling  bright  eye  and  great 
self-possession,  and  the  softness 
and  compass  of  his  well-modulated, 
flowing  voice,  threw  a  charm  around 
ideas,  which,  pronounced  indifferent- 
ly by  one  of  mature  years,  might 
not  have  appeared  to  possess  any 
rare  excellence. 

And  now,  dear  James,  let  me 
exhort  you  wholly  to  abstain  from 
all  intoxicating  liquors.  It  is  the 
only  safe  course.  I  lately  saw  a 
young  man  who  had  been  brought 
up  in  circumstances  similar  to  your 


DEVOTION  TO  TEMPERANCE.        165 

own,  evidently  under  the  influence 
of  ardent  spirits.  He  has  akeady 
injured  his  character,  and  wasted 
the  greatest  portion  of  a  large  es- 
tate. And  yet  I  heard  him  say,  he 
hoped  to  be  saved,  in  answer  to  his 
mother's  prayers.  Still  he  drinks. 
What  infatuation !  From  so  low  a 
degradation,  you  may  be  saved,  in 
the  good  providence  of  God,  by 
total  abstinence  from  all  that  can 
intoxicate. 


166  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XXII. 

AN  EXTRACT  FROM  HIS  ADDRESS  ON  TEM- 
PERANCE. 

My  DEAR  James, — Here  is  the  pro- 
mised extract  from  Thomas's  speech. 
''That  the  debased  drunkard  should 
join  the  total  abstinence  society,  will 
not  be  denied  by  any  one,  because 
by  total  abstinence  alone  can  he 
be  reclaimed,  and  restored  to  repu- 
tation, health  and  happiness.  But 
that  the  moderate  drinker,  and 
those  who,  perhaps,  do  not  drink  at 
all,  should  join  it,  many  deny. 

''To  the  moderate  drinker,  we 
would   remark,   that  the  drunkard 


ADDRESS  ON  TEMPERANCE.         167 

was  once  like  himself.  He  took  his 
glass  a  day,  and  when  warned  of 
his  danger,  would  laugh  and  say, 
that  he  could  restrain  his  appetite 
for  liquor  if  he  chose.  But,  alas! 
he  tampered  with  temptation ;  and 
in  his  fall  confidence  of  safety 
fell. 

''Where  is  he  now?  Go  to  the 
gutter,  and  see  him  covered  with 
rags  and  pollution,  scoffed  and  jeered 
at  by  the  thoughtless  and  unfeel- 
ing. 

''  Go  to  his  home,  if  home  he  has, 
and  see  him  there.  His  children 
crouch  and  tremble  at  his  approach. 
His  sorrow-stricken,  heart-broken 
wife  gives  vent  to  her  overcharged 
feelings  by  a  flood  of  tears. 

''  Now  it  is  possible,  by  embrac- 


168  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

ing  the  principles  of  total  absti- 
nence, this  degraded  and  miserable 
creature  may  be  fortunately  rescued. 
It  is  likewise  possible,  that,  by  neg- 
lecting these  principles,  the  mode- 
rate drinker,  who  has  never  regarded 
himself  in  the  slightest  danger,  may 
become  equally  abandoned. 

"  Let  us  look  at  a  case  in  point. 
A  little  more  than  three  years  ago; 
on  an  extremely  cold  night,  shiver- 
ing in  a  grog-shop  in  Cincinnati, 
sat  a  young  man  about  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  but  apparently  much 
older.  He  was  evidently  a  victim 
of  a  depraved  appetite. 

"At  length  an  acquaintance  of 
his,  by  the  name  of  Simmons,  en- 
tered. After  looking  at  him  a  mo- 
ment,  he  said  to  the  bar-keeper, 


ADDRESS  ON  TEMPERANCE.        169 

'  Brown,  why  do  you  let  this  loafer 
sit  here,  to  the  annoyance  of  respect- 
able people  T 

'"I  have  often  told  him  to  keep 
away  from  this  place/  replied  the 
barkeeper.  '  The  next  time  he  comes 
here  drunk,  I  will  send  him  head 
and  heels  into  the  street.'  This  in- 
sulting question  and  the  harshness 
of  the  answer  cut  poor  "William  H. 
to  the  quick. 

''  Though  he  was  degraded,  he  had 
one  virtue  left,  and  that  was  deci- 
sion. He  arose  to  go ;  he  knew  not 
whither.  The  God  of  mercy,  against 
whom  he  had  so  outrageously  sinned, 
was  his  guide.  Two  years  passed 
away.  William  H.  had  become  a 
reformed  man  and  a  respectable 
member  of  society. 

15 


170  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

''  One  morning  he  took  up  a  daily 
newspaper,  and  his  eyes  fell  upon 
the  words,  '  Coroner's  inquest'  To 
his  astonishment  and  grief,  he  read 
that  George  Simmons,  this  moderate 
drinker,  who  spoke  so  scornfully 
of  his  presence,  had  died  in  an 
alms-house,  from  the  effects  of  in- 
temperance ! 

*'So  much  for  temperate  drinking. 
JSTow  the  man  who  does  not  drink 
spirits  at  all,  is  certainly  in  no 
danger,  if  he  will  determinately 
persevere  in  his  present  course. 
Possibly  by  joining  a  total  absti- 
nence society,  his  steadfastness  may 
be  rendered  more  absolutely  cer- 
tain. 

**But  he  should  take  this  step, 
for  the  sake  of  his  influence.     In 


ADDRESS  ON  TEMPERANCE.        171 

union  is  strength.  Every  virtuous 
man  should  strive  to  make  and  pre- 
serve others  virtuous.  We  should 
not  labour  for  om^selves  alone.  Why 
should  he  not  join  the  society  if  he 
never  drinks  aught  that  can  intoxi- 
cate ?  Certainly  no  harm  can  grow 
out  of  it,  and  great  good  may  be  the 
result.'^ 

Such,  my  dear  James,  were  his 
sentiments.  Such  was  his  manner 
of  presenting  them.  But,  as  you 
have  already  been  informed,  he  did 
not  recommend  one  course  and  pur- 
sue another.  Happy  himself,  in 
being  free  from  all  desire  of  the  in- 
toxicating cup,  he  wished  that  all 
others  might  share  in  the  same  rich 
blessing. 


172  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XXIIL 

HIS   LAST   ILLNESS. 

My  dear  Jaimes, — Thomas's  last 
illness  was  long  and  painful.  Early 
in  the  spring  of  1845,  after  a  win- 
ter of  much  affliction,  his  disease 
was  regarded  as  decidedly  danger- 
ous. An  abscess  had  formed  in  his 
back..  No  applications  could  remove 
it.  A  severe  surgical  operation  was 
necessary.  ''I  will  bear  it,"  he  said, 
*' as  well  as  I  can." 

I  have  heard  his  physician  say, 
that  he  never  saw  any  one  exhibit 
more  fortitude  than  he  exhibited  on 
that  trjing  occasion.     Considering 


HIS  LAST  ILLNESS.  173 

the  age  of  his  patient,  he  spoke  of 
it  as  very  remarkable;  indeed,  al- 
most incredible.  A  Christian  can 
serve  God  by  suffering  his  will  with 
resignation,  as  well  as  by  doing  his 
will  with  fidelity.  As  we  are  yet 
'4n  the  flesh, '^  we  know  not  what  is 
before  us.  But  God  can  always 
support  us. 

The  dressing  of  the  abscess  was, 
for  a  long  time,  very  painful.  He 
submitted  to  it  without  a  murmur, 
merely  requesting  that  it  might  be 
done  by  his  mother.  He  fancied, 
(and  it  was  a  very  natural  fancy  in 
a  sick  child,)  that  no  one  could  at- 
tend to  him  so  gently  as  his  fond 
mother.  Besides,  it  soothed  him  to 
hear  her  expressions  of  sympathy 
and  encouragement. 

15* 


174  THOMAS  0.  PAUL. 

It  is  pleasant  to  consider  his 
heroic  manliness  in  enduring  so 
much  acute  pain.  But  some  can 
bear  great  afflictions  with  fortitude, 
who  give  way  to  discontent  and 
peevishness,  when  tried  by  months 
of  weakness  and  confinement.  You 
will  be  gratified  to  learn,  that,  week 
after  week,  he  never  showed  the 
least  impatience.  On  one  occasion, 
and  I  believe  it  was  the  only  occa- 
sion for  a  long  period,  he  wept. 
**What  is  the  matter,  Thomas?'^ 
said  his  mother.  ''I  was  thinking, 
my  mother,"  he  replied,  ''that  if  I 
live,  I  shall  always  be  a  cripple." 

He  was  not  only  patient,  but  for 
the  greater  portion  of  the  time  veiy 
cheerful.  He  frequently  uttered 
exj)ressions  like  this:  "I  have  every 


HIS  LAST  ILLNESS.  175 

thing  that  I  desire!"  How  many 
who  murmur  at  their  lot  would  be 
more  than  barely  contented,  if  they 
bore  in  mind  the  blessings  with 
which  they  are  favoured,  and  the 
evils  from  which  they  are  exempt. 

As  long  as  he  was  able  to  read, 
he  read  much,  particularly  in  the 
Bible.  He  also  conversed  freely. 
When  he  became  weaker,  he  took 
much  pleasure  in  listening  to  others. 
He  was  very  fond  of  hearing  hymns 
sung.  In  this  exercise  he  would 
take  part,  so  far  as  he  had  strength 
to  do  so. 

During  his  illness  he  appears  to 
have  had  very  clear  evidence  of  the 
favour  of  God.  He  firmly  believed 
that  he  was  pardoned  and  accepted 
of  God  through  repentance  and  faith 


176  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

in  Jesus  Christ.  On  one  occasion 
lie  said,  ''I  do  believe  that  God  has 
heard  my  prayer.'^  Can  a  youth, 
my  dear  James,  have  a  more  de- 
lightful reflection  than  that  the 
great  and  glorious  God  of  the 
universe  has  heard  his  supplica- 
tion? 

At  times  his  joy  seemed  to  be 
inexpressibly  great.  He  heard  a 
Christian,  who  had  recovered  from 
a  dangerous  illness,  say,  "The  nearer 
I  thought  myself  to  death,  the  hap- 
pier I  felt.^^  "That,^'  said  he,  "is 
just  my  experience.'^  Once  he  re- 
marked, upon  seeing  how  sad  his 
relatives  were  whenever  he  was 
worse,  "When  you  are  the  most 
gloomy,  I  am  the  most  happy.''  He 
repeatedly  expressed  his  thankful- 


HIS  LAST  ILLNESS.  177 

ness  to   God,   and  his  reliance  on 
His  grace  in  these  two  lines : 

"  ril  praise  him  for  all  that  is  past, 
And  trust  him  for  all  that's  to  come." 

How  clearly  do  we  see,  in  his  ex- 
perience, the  loveliness  of  early 
piety !  Here  was  a  youth,  exhausted 
with  a  wasting  illness,  in  an  ecstasy 
of  grateful  emotions,  feeling  that  he 
was  blessed  with  all  that  was  neces- 
sary to  his  happiness ;  while  many, 
doubtless,  of  his  own  age,  were  at 
that  very  hour  miserable,  under 
the  influence  of  pride,  envy,  re- 
venge, or  some  other  guilty  passion. 

He  often  repeated  hymns,  or 
quoted  passages  from  the  Bible,  in 
a  sweet,  well-modulated  voice,  while 
a  serene  contentment  was  indicated 
by  the  placid  features  of  his  pale, 


178  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

expressive  countenance.  The  last 
hymn  he  ever  sang  through,  con- 
tained this  stanza : 

"  Though  troubles  assail,  and  dangers  affright, 
Though  friends  should  all  fail,  and  foes  all  unite, 
Yet  one  thing  secures  us,  whatever  betide, 
The  promise  assures  us,  the  Lord  will  provide." 

After  singing  the  words,  ^'the 
Lord  will  provide, '^  he  said,  with 
great  solemnity,  "Tes,  mother,  I 
hope  so.^' 

One  day  he  said,  *'My  sufferings 
are  severe,  but  my  pain  of  body  is 
not  so  great  as  my  grief  in  hearing 
my  mother's  sighs,  and  in  witness- 
ing her  distress."  His  frequent  re- 
marks, of  a  similar  nature,  and  his 
constant  conduct,  clearly  evinced 
that  he  was  less  thoughtful  of  his 
own  than  of  his  mother's  sufferings. 


HIS  LAST  ILLNESS.  179 

What  a  beautiful,  and  sublime, 
and  touching  picture  of  filial  gra- 
titude and  love!  He  saw  all  his 
youthful  hopes  of  earthly  happiness 
cut  down  like  flowers  prematurely 
to  wither:  he  saw  his  own  fair  form 
bereft  of  much  comeliness,  and  has- 
tening to  decay.  He  felt,  in  his  once 
active  limbs,  all  the  weakness  of 
extreme  old  age.  He  was,  in  a  great 
measure,  deprived  of  the  delightful 
and  long-indulged  pleasure  of  read- 
ing. He  was  no  longer  permitted 
to  mingle  in  the  active  scenes  of  the 
town;  to  see  nature  in  her  sweet 
variety  of  fields  and  forests,  streams, 
valleys  and  mountains.  He  was  no 
longer  able  to  receive  many  of  his 
friends  and  companions.  Tet  under 
all    these    deprivations,    and  with 


180  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

much  intense  pain,  he  again  and 
again  strove  to  comfort  his  mother, 
and  in  his  efforts  felt  that  his  deep 
sympathy  with  her,  in  the  anguish 
of  anticipated  bereavement,  was  the 
greatest  part  of  his  distress. 

About  a  week  before  his  death, 
he  requested  that  they  would  sing 
for  him  the  hymn  commencing 
with 

"  I  would  not  live  alway,"  &c. 

While  singing  the  words, 

*^  I  would  not  live  alway,  no,  welcome  the  tomb, 
Since  Jesus  has  lain  there,  I  dread  not  its  gloom/' 

he  looked  up  to  his  mother,  who 
was  standing  close  to  his  bed,  and 
smiling,  said,  ''My  mother,  there  is 
no  gloom  there  for  me." 


IMPORTANT  CONVERSATION.   181 


LETTER  XXIV. 

AN    IMPORTANT    CONVERSATION. 

My  dear  James, — A  conversation 
most  important  in  its  results  will 
now  be  related.  One  day  Ms  mo- 
ther and  himself  were  alone.  As 
his  life  was  despaired  of,  some  allu- 
sion was  made  to  his  approaching 
end.  Now  many  a  mother  would 
have  regarded  it  a  kindness  to  per- 
suade her  child  that  his  life  was  in 
little  danger.  Many  a  child  would 
have  shunned  so  awful  a  subject. 
To  him  it  was  not  painful.  To 
both  it  was  a  subject  of  most  in- 
tense interest. 

16 


182  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

She  said  to  him,  ''  My  son,  is  there 
any  thing  on  your  mind  that  you 
wish  me  to  attend  to  for  you?^^ 

He  replied,  "  Yes,  my  mother/^  He 
then  requested  that  she  would  give 
his  watch  to  his  sister-in-law;  his 
gun  to  a  school-fellow  to  whom  he  was 
much  attached ;  his  new  Latin  Lexi- 
con to  a  young  friend,  the  son  of  a 
widow  who  was  in  straitened  cir- 
cumstances; and  other  articles  as 
she  might  think  proper. 

"Is  there, '^  said  she,  ''nothing 
else,  my  son?^^ 

He  had  frequently  been  with  his 
mother  in  the  narrow  disagreeable 
lanes  of  the  poor.  He  had  heard 
dialogues  between  her  and  ragged, 
sorrowful  children,  like  this : 

'' Have  you  no  better  clothes?'' 


IMPORTANT    CONVERSATION.       183 

''Can  you  spell  and  read?^' 

''No:' 

''Where  do  you  live ?" 

"I  am  here  now,  but  I  do  not 
know  where  I  shall  be." 

"Who  is  your  mother?" 

"  My  mother  is  dead." 

He  had  himself  gone  to  the 
wretched  rooms  of  the  poor  to 
supply  their  wants.  He  knew  the 
worst  feature  in  the  condition  of 
such  children  is  the  want  of  instruc- 
tion, and  their  exposure  to  vice. 
On  the  Sabbath-morning  no  kind 
hand  led  them  to  church. 

He  had  seen  another  side  of  the 
picture.  He  had  seen  orphan  chil- 
dren, who  had  been  taken  into  an 
asylum.   They  were  well  clad.  Their 


184  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

manners  were  improved.  They  were 
daily  receiving  important  knowledge. 
Their  cheerful  and  animated  counte- 
nances seemed  to  answer  the  above 
questions  thus:  "We  can  all  spell, 
madam,  and  read  too.  We  have  other 
nice  clothes.  It  is  true  we  have 
all  lost  our  affectionate  mothers,  but 
we  have  here  found  a  dear  good 
mother.  Besides,  all  the  ladies  who 
come  to  see  us  speak  kindly  and 
smile.  We  have  good  beds,  good 
rooms,  good  food  and  light  hearts." 
He  had  heard  his  mother  fre- 
quently express  a  desire  to  have 
such  an  asylum  established  in  the 
town.  He  had  been  silently  re- 
flecting upon  the  subject,  that  he 
might  be  the  instrument,  even  on 
his    death-bed,    of    gratifying    her 


IMPORTANT  CONVERSATION.   185 

whom  lie  dearly  loved;  and  also 
of  doing  a  vast  amount  of  good  to 
friendless  and  houseless  orphans. 

With  these  thoughts,  which  had 
taken  possession  of  his  mind,  he 
said, — in  answer  to  his  mother's  se- 
cond question,  ''Is  there  nothing 
else,  my  son?''— 

''My  mother,  I  want  you  to  ask 
father  to  buy  a  lot,  out  of  the  por- 
tion of  his  estate  which  would  have 
fallen  to  my  share,  and  to  establish 
upon  it  an  Orphan  Asylum." 

I  need  not  say  that  his  father 
was  surprised  and  delighted  with 
this  request.  Indeed,  it  is  affecting 
even  to  a  stranger  to  see  a  pale, 
suffering  youth,  forgetting  himself, 
and  planning  for  the  poor :  not  un- 

16* 


186  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 

mindful  of  his  few  days,  but  more 
mindful  of  coming  generations. 

*'  It  shall  be  done,"  said  his  father. 
Nineteen  months  afterwards,  the 
asylum  was  opened  and  received  a 
company  of  needy  children ! 

This  conversation,  by  its  result, 
has  reminded  me  of  a  public  meet- 
ing held  at  York,  in  England.  It 
was  a  meeting  of  noblemen  and 
others,  to  devise  a  monument  for 
William  "Wilberforce,  one  of  the  best 
and  greatest  of  men.  The  Chan- 
cellor of  England,  Lord  Brougham, 
was  in  the  chair.  One  arose  and 
said,  that  he  could  think  of  no  better 
monument  for  Mr.  Wilberforce  than 
an  asylum  for  blind  children,  to  be 
called  by  his  name.     The   sugges- 


IMPORTANT  CONVERSATION.   187 

tion  was  adopted,  and  immense  sums 
were  subscribed  for  it. 

They  procured  a  part  of  the  old 
Abbey  of  Saint  Mary,  which  king 
Henry  the  Eighth,  more  than  three 
hundred  years  before,  converted  into 
a  palace.  Being  in  York  last  sum- 
mer, I  saw,  on  the  Sabbath,  more 
than  thirty  blind  boys  going  to 
church  with  their  teacher.  A  boy 
who  could  see,  led  them  by  a  long 
cord,  which,  two  by  two,  about  a  yard 
apart,  they  all  held.  Then  followed 
the  blind  girls  in  the  same  manner. 
Should  you  ever  be  in  York,  go  to 
the  old  palace  and  see  them.  It 
will  do  your  heart  good.  I  found 
more  than  sixty  pupils.  They  ap- 
peared very  happy.  A  class  in 
Arithmetic  was  before  the  teacher. 


188  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

It  would  have  amused  you  to  see 
their  mode  of  ciphering.  A  little 
boy  was  called  up  to  read  for  me. 
He  laid  his  fingers  on  the  letters 
and  read  delightfully.  And  should 
you  ever  be  in  Petersburg,  (Virginia,) 
inquire  for  this  orphan  asylum. 
There  you  will  see  bright  faces,  and 
hear  happy  voices.  Both  institu- 
tions wdll  doubtless  last  for  ages 
upon  ages.  Did  ever  a  man  have  a 
better  monument  than  William  Wil- 
berforce  ?  Did  ever  a  youth  have  a 
better  monument  than  Thomas  C. 
Paul?  Yet  T  am  confident  that 
neither  aimed  at  a  monument.  ' '  He 
builds  too  low  who  builds  beneath 
the  skies.'^ 


FEMALE  ORPHAN  ASYLUM.        189 


LETTER  XXY. 

"  THE  THOMAS  C.  PAUL  FEMALE  ORPHAN 
ASYLUM." 

My  DEAR  James,  —  In  my  last 
letter  I  informed  you  that  Thomas, 
on  his  death-bed,  aided  by  his  mo- 
ther, secm^ed  the  establishment  of 
a  Female  Orphan  Asylum,  which 
went  into  operation  on  the  first  day 
of  January,  1847.  The  Legislature 
of  Virginia  incorporated  it  under 
the  name  and  style  of  ''The  Thomas 
0.  Paul  Female  Orphan  Asylum.'^ 

This  tribute  of  respect  paid  to 
his  name,  under  the  sanction  of  the 
State    Legislature,    may  do    much 


190  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

good.  It  will  certainly  make  a 
deed,  worthy  of  remembrance  and 
full  of  interest,  more  extensively 
known.  It  may  lead  many  a  youth 
to  inquire  into  his  manner  of  Hfe, 
and  to  emulate  his  virtues.  It  may 
result  in  correct  views  and  good  re- 
solutions. Correct  views  and  good 
resolutions,  early  embraced,  must 
greatly  affect  the  whole  life. 

A  child  born  to  wealth  may  say, 
"Father,  what  does  'The  Thomas 
C.  Paul  Female  Orphan  Asylum' 
mean?''  When  it  is  all  explained, 
and  his  little  heart  is  warmed  with 
an  account  of  poor  orphans  made 
happy,  he  may  add,  ''Father,  if  I 
die  as  young  as  Thomas  C.  Paul 
died,  I  wish  you  would  build  an 
asylum  for  poor  orphan  boys,  or  in 


FEMALE  ORPHAN  ASYLUM.         191 

some  other  way  do  good  to  the  poor 
and  suffering.'^  The  child  of  poor 
parents  may  say,  ''Mother,  if  I  ever 
get  to  be  a  rich  man,  I  will  build  a 
large  house,  and  fill  it  with  mother- 
less children,  and  give  them  all  new 
clothes  and  every  thing  good."  In 
such  kind  and  generous  feelings 
they  may  first  taste  the  luxury  of 
benevolence.  Ever  after  they  may 
befriend  the  orphan  and  all  who 
are  in  distress. 

I  will,  my  dear  James,  give  you 
some  account  of  the  asylum  itself. 
It  is  under  the  efficient  direction 
and  control  of  a  first  and  second 
directress,  and  twelve  other  ladies, 
who  constitute  a  board  of  mana- 
gers. Divided  into  committees, 
they  visit  the  asylum  three  times 


192  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

a  month,  and  hold  quarterly  and 
special  meetings.  Their  term  of 
office  is  for  one  year. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  matron,  to 
whom  the  children  are  committed, 
to  provide  plain  and  wholesome 
food  for  their  meals ;  to  be  faithful, 
tender,  and  diligent  in  the  care  of 
their  health  and  morals ;  to  preserve 
order  and  decorum  in  their  conduct; 
to  train  them  up  in  habits  of  in- 
dustry and  usefulness,  and  to  read 
the  Scriptures,  and  hold  family 
prayer  with  them,  morning  and 
evening.  They  are  taught  spelling, 
reading,  writing,  and  the  five  com- 
mon rules  of  arithmetic ;  also  sewing, 
marking,  knitting,  washing,  ironing, 
kitchen  and  household  work. 

I  will  give  you  an  extract  from 


FEMALE  ORPHAN  ASYLUM.         193 

a  letter  written  by  a  gentleman  who 
lately  saw  these  orphans.  "The 
present  number/'  he  writes,  "is 
sixteen.  A  happier  or  more  healthy 
parcel  of  children,  I  have  rarely  seen. 
This,  I  believe,  is  the  general  remark 
of  those  who  visit  the  asylum — I 
mean,  of  strangers  and  all  who  are 
unconnected  with  it.''  My  dear 
James,  is  it  not  delightful  to  think 
of  this  large,  contented,  peaceful 
family  in  their  well-furnished,  com 
fortable  dwelling,  with  its  pleasant 
lot  attached,  where  they  can  all 
breathe  the  fresh  air  undisturbed  ? 
Will  they  not  love  one  another  as 
sisters,  and  the  kind  ladies  who 
watch  over  them  as  mothers  ? 

In  nineteen    months    after    the 
death  of  Thomas,  this  cheerful  fami- 

17 


194  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

ly  of  children  was  organized.  That 
winter,  they  numbered,  if  I  mistake 
not,  fourteen.  They  were  collected 
from  their  uncomfortable  abodes  at 
a  very  opportune  time.  Soon  the 
measles  prevailed,  and  proved  fatal 
to  many  children.  The  inmates  of 
the  asylum  found,  during  their  ill- 
ness, many  comforts  and  attentions 
which  they  would  not  have  received, 
if  the  disease  had  overtaken  them 
a  few  weeks  before. 

They  found  themselves  in  plea- 
sant rooms.  A  good  physician  was 
promptly  called  in  to  their  aid. 
Benevolent  ladies  were  with  them, 
day  and  night,  for  some  of  them 
were  very  ill.  Can  the  girls  who 
survived,  forget  the  kindness  which 
they  then  received?     Do  they  not 


FEMALE  ORPHAN  ASYLUM.        195 

thank  God  ?  Are  they  not  grateful  to 
their  benefactors  ?  I  hope  so  truly. 
Many  are  the  unthankful.  But 
there  is  much  genuine  gratitude  in 
the  \YOiid.  Ingratitude  is  hateful 
in  the  eyes  of  God  and  man. 

Ton  will  be  sorry  to  learn  that 
two  of  the  orphans  died  of  the 
measles.  But  during  their  short 
residence  in  their  new  home,  they 
had  been  taught  to  worship  God. 
May  we  not  hope  their  prayers  were 
answered?  In  the  providence  of 
God,  may  not  the  early  death  of 
Thomas  C.  Paul  result  in  a  long 
life  to  some,  and  in  eternal  life  to 
many?  The  thought  has  occurred 
to  my  mind,  that  these  two  spirits 
may  have  met  in  heaven,  and  have 


196  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

been  already  recognised  as  the  first 
fruits  of  this  great  enterprise. 

When  ages  shall  have  slowly  rolled 
away,  this  asylum  will  probably  be 
in  successful  operation.  Then  his 
birth-day  may  be  observed  by  or- 
phans, and  even  by  families  made 
happy,  under  God,  through  his 
piety  and  forethought.  Then  one 
may  say,  ''My  mother  was  educated 
in  the  asylum;"  another  may  add, 
*'So  was  my  grandmother.''  Then 
may  one  with  a  trembling  voice  re- 
mark, ''I  am  one  of  the  very  few 
who  live  to  extreme  old  age.  My 
children,  my  grandchildren,  and 
their  children,  are  nearly  one  hun- 
dred. They  are  mostly  virtuous. 
Many  of  them  are  very  pious.  All 
this  we  owe  to  the  good  providence 


FEMALE  ORPHAN  ASYLUM. 


197 


of  God,  wlio  by  his  servants  led  me 
from  a  miserable  lane,  where  I  was 
exposed  to  all  manner  of  evil,  to 
the  Thomas  C.  Paul  Female  Orphan 
Asylum  in  Petersburg/^ 


17 


198  THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XXVI. 

HIS    DEATH. 

My  dear  James, — It  was  a  matter 
of  great  consolation  to  the  relatives 
of  Thomas,  that  God  was  pleased  to 
favour  him  with  a  perfect  command 
of  all  his  faculties  up  to  the  last  mo- 
ment of  his  life.  His  reason  never 
for  an  instant  left  him.  Death  ap- 
proached so  surely,  that  all  hope  of 
recovery  was  given  up  by  his  friends 
and  himself.  Death  approached  so 
slowly,  that,  for  several  days,  the 
general  inquiry  was,  ^'Is  he  alive?" 

When  Job  was  overwhelmed  with 
all    his    calamities,   and    his  wife 


HIS  DEATH.  199 

urged  him  ''to  curse  God  and  die," 
he  exclaimed,  "What!  shall  we  re- 
ceive good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and 
shall  we  not  receive  evil?"  And  it 
is  added,  "In  all  this  did  not  Job 
sin  with  his  lips."  So  in  these 
slow  hours  of  pain  and  perfect  pros- 
tration, there  fell  not  from  the  lips 
of  Thomas  a  single  word  unworthy 
of  a  dying  Christian.  Truly,  "Great 
peace  have  they  that  keep  the  law 
of  the  Lord." 

One  morning,  three  or  four  days 
before  his  departure,  when  his  mo- 
ther entered  the  room,  she  perceived 
that  he  had  some  thought  to  com- 
municate. "My  mother,"  said  he, 
in  a  faint  voice,  "I  want  you  to  be 
willing  to  give  me  up.  The  Lord's 
will  must  be  done.    He  knows  best. 


200  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

I  have  two  little  brothers  in  heaven. 
It  is  better  that  I  should  go  to 
them/^  He  added,  ''I  wish  to  be 
resigned."  He  paused,  and  said 
emphatically,  "I  am  resigned  to  the 
will  of  the  Lord." 

About  this  period  he  quoted  these 
words  to  his  mother:  ''Xone  of  us 
liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth 
unto  himself.  For  whether  we  live, 
we  live  unto  the  Lord ;  and  whether 
we  die,  we  die  imto  the  Lord. 
TTliether  we  live  therefore  or  die,  we 
are  the  Lord's."  This  was  certainly 
a  very  remarkable  quotation,  whe- 
ther we  consider  his  years,  or  his 
death  resulting  in  the  establish- 
ment of  an  orphan  asylum. 

He  laid  hold  of  such  divine  pro- 
mises  as  these:   ''Fear  not,  for  I 


mS  DEATH.  201 

have  redeemed  thee.  Thou  art 
mine.  TVTien  thou  passest  through 
the  waters.  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and 
through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not 
overflow  thee:  when  thou  walkest 
through  the  fii^e,  thou  shalt  not  be 
bmned ;  neither  shall  the  flame  kin- 
dle upon  thee."  He  realized  these 
promises,  and  could  say.  '-Though 
I  walk  through  the  vallev  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil : 
for  thou  art  with  me ;  thy  rod  and 
thy  stafi'  they  comfort  me.*' 

Among  other  lines,  it  is  remem- 
bered that  he  repeated  these : 

^'  3Ij  suffering  time  shall  soon  be  o'er. 
Then  shall  I  sigh  and  weep  no  more ; 
31y  ransomed  soul  shall  soar  away, 
To  sing  Grod's  praise  in  endless  day." 

PerhajDS     you     remember,    dear 


202  THOxMAS    C.  PAUL. 

James,  the  beautiful  and  affecting 
verses  in  the  twenty-first  chapter 
of  Eevelation,  beginning  with  these 
words:  "God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  their  eyes/'  How  con- 
fidently did  he  look  forward  to  the 
speedy  fulfilment  of  this  sustaining 
promise ! 

He  was  evidently  happy  in  the 
belief  that  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
had  pardoned  his  sins,  and  gracious- 
ly favoured  him  with  the  immediate 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  bear- 
ing witness  with  his  spirit,  and 
filling  his  soul  ''with  joy  unspeak- 
able/'    Several  times  he  remarked, 

"  Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 
Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are ; 
While  on  his  breast  I  lean  my  head, 
And  breathe  my  life  out  sweetly  there." 


HIS  DEATH.  203 

On  the  evening  before  he  expired, 
he  appeared  unconscious.  His  mo- 
ther said,  *'My  child,  speak  to  your 
mother;  is  Jesus  with  you?"  He 
made  no  reply.  His  father  said, 
''He  will  never  speak  again;"  and 
then  requested  his  brother,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Paul,  to  commend  him  to  God 
in  prayer.  Soon  after,  when  some 
members  of  the  family  wept  aloud, 
he  opened  his  eyes,  as  from  a  sleep, 
and  said,  "Don't  do  so.  Go  to  your 
rooms  and  compose  yourselves." 

Late  in  the  last  night  of  his  life, 
when  every  hour  seemed  to  be  his 
last,  he  said,  with  that  considerate- 
ness  which  was  one  of  the  most 
striking  features  of  his  character, 
"Now,  my  mother,  go  and  take 
your  rest.      Others   can   do  every 


204  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

thing  that  is  necessary.'^  Just  be- 
fore he  expired,  he  tried  to  speak, 
but  his  tongue  had  become  for  ever 
silent.  His  mother  leaned  over 
him  and  said,  ''My  child,  it  is  your 
own  dear  mother."  He  sweetly 
smiled.  It  was  the  last  effort  of 
nature.  It  was  a  rainbow  on  life's 
last  cloud.  Said  one,  who  in  tears 
witnessed  that  closing  interview  be- 
tween the  mother  and  the  child  who 
had  been  so  constantly  together  for 
thirteen  years,  ''I  would  not  have 
missed  seeing  that  smile  on  any 
account.'^  Tell  me,  my  dear  James, 
is  it  not  worth  a  life  of  self-denial, 
to  smile  in  death  ? 


HIS  uncle's  letter.        205 


LETTER  XXVII. 


HIS  uncle's  letter. 


My  dear  James, — To  give  you  an 
idea  of  the  estimation  in  which 
Thomas  was  held  by  his  relatives, 
the  following  extract  is  taken  from 
a  letter  written  by  his  uncle,  Mr. 
William  Paul,  a  merchant  of  Porta- 
down,  in  Ireland,  whom  I  men- 
tioned in  my  last  letter.  This  un- 
cle saw  him  for  the  first  time  during 
his  last  illness,  which  was  both  pro- 
tracted and  painful. 

Thomas  had  anticipated  this  visit 
with  a  pleasure  which  he  fully  real- 
ized.    He   had  often  read  letters 

18 


206  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

from  this  esteemed  relative.  He 
had  for  years  been  fully  acquainted 
with  the  depth  of  his  piety,  the 
warmth  of  his  affections,  and  his 
engaging  manners.  Nothing  could 
surpass  the  tenderness  of  their  inter- 
course. With  a  difference  of  about 
forty  years  in  their  ages,  they  con- 
versed with  all  the  freedom  and 
familiarity  of  two  confiding  friends, 
who  had  grown  up  in  habits  of 
the  closest  intimacy  from  their  very 
childhood. 

Thomas  had  so  cultivated  his 
mind  as  to  make  himself  interest- 
ing as  a  companion  to  the  most 
intelliocent.  Mr.  Paul,  amid  all  the 
cares  and  excitement  of  a  busy  life, 
had  preserved  his  social  feelings  in 
all   their  youthful  freshness.     But 


HIS    UNCLE^S   LETTER.  207 

their  religious  views  and  hopes, 
more  than  any  thing  else,  united 
their  hearts  in  delightful  fellow- 
ship. 

On  one  occasion,  when  his  un- 
cle was  about  to  read  to  him,  he 
said,  "If  you  have  not  made  se- 
lection of  a  hymn,  please  turn  to 
the  one  beginning  with 

^Vain,  delusive  world,  adieu/" 

As  usual  on  such  occasions,  his 
soul  seemed  wholly  occupied  with 
pious  and  pleasing  reflections.  As 
soon  as  he  was  left  alone  with 
his  mother,  he  exclaimed,  while 
his  eye  was  beaming  with  raptu- 
rous animation,  ''Could  any  one 
ever  be  weary  of  hearing  my  uncle 
converse  and  pray?'' 

Mr.  Paul,  on  his  return  to  Ire- 


208  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

land,  a  few  weeks  after  the  death 
of  this  affectionate  nephew,  wrote 
thus  to  the  bereaved  father:  ''My 
first  feeling  was  to  tell  you  of  my 
safe  arrival,  and  then  to  talk  over 
your  recent  bereavement.  I  hardly 
know  what  to  say.  I  saw  the  wreck 
only  of  your  precious  boy.  But  I 
am  very  thankful  that  I  saw  what 
I  did. 

"I  have  been  dwelling  on  his 
whole  character,  his  patience  and  re- 
signation, his  well-instructed  mind, 
his  benevolent  heart,  his  charity 
and  love.  Hundreds  of  times  since 
I  left  you,  have  I  dwelt  on  all  I 
saw  and  heard ;  and  yet,  all  I  knew 
was  but  little  of  his  varied  excel- 
lencies. 

''I   have  dwelt  on  the  demon- 


HIS    UNCLE^S    LETTER.  209 

stration  of  public  feeling,  the  inqui- 
ries while  he  was  living,  the  sympa- 
thy, the  affection,  the  tears,  when  he 
was  no  more;  your  church  at  the 
funeral  sermon,  the  funeral  itself, 
and  all.  I  have  been  thinking  of 
all,  and  have  been  telling  my  friends 
all.  I  have  said  to  them,  '  I  never 
saw  such  a  lad  before,  and  I  shall 
never  again  see  his  equal  in  this 
world.'  While  telling  them  this 
tale,  the  chord  which  vibrated  in 
my  heart  influenced  theirs  also. 

''Since  I  saw  and  felt  as  I  did 
and  do  feel,  and  others  who  never 
saw  him  feel  as  they  do  at  your 
loss,  what  must  be  the  emotions  of 
his  mother  and  yourself,  who  have 
watched  over  him  month  after  month, 
in  all  his  advancement  in  wisdom 

18* 


210  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

and  knowledge,  in  all  his  devoted 
attachment  to  her  and  yourself,  and 
who  have  looked  to  his  future  pros- 
pects, when  he  would  be  to  you  and 
to  his  friends,  to  his  town  and  his 
country,  an  inestimable  blessing  ? 

''What  must  be  your  feelings?  I 
can  enter  into  them  a  little,  and 
but  a  little.  I  can  only  sympa- 
thize and  pray.  Your  wound  can 
be  healed  by  that  hand  alone  which 
was  nailed  to  the  cross.  I  have 
told  my  friends  here  how  you  com- 
mitted your  cause  and  his  to  your 
heavenly  Father,  and  how  he  sus- 
tained you  in  that  dreadful  hour. 

"As  I  was  talking  to  one  of  our 
mutual  friends,  he  remarked  that 
such  a  lad  as  I  told  him  of,  if 
spared  to  manhood,  would  have  out- 


HIS  uncle's  letter.         211 

stripped  us  all,  and  would  have  had 
no  compeers  or  associates." 

Such  were  the  sentiments  of  this 
observing  and  conscientious  uncle, 
who  had  every  qualification  and  op- 
portunity necessary  to  form  a  just 
estimate  of  his  character. 

Being  lately  in  Ireland,  I  visited 
Mr.  Paul,  and  heard  him  give  a 
very  interesting  account  of  his  con- 
versations with  Thomas.  He  ad- 
mired his  intelligence,  his  judgment, 
his  easy,  gentle  manners,  and  his 
sweet,  obliging  disposition.  But  I 
observed  he  spoke  particularly  of 
his  fei^ent  piety  and  entire  resig- 
nation to  the  will  of  God.  Never 
did  a  nephew  endear  himself  more 
to  an  uncle  in  so  short  a  time. 


212  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


LETTER  XXVIIL 

REMARKS    BY   HIS    PHYSICIAN. 

My  dear  James, — Dr.  William  J. 
Mickie  attended  Thomas  in  his  last 
illness.  He  found  his  youthful 
patient  possessed  of  a  social,  affec- 
tionate and  confiding  disposition, 
inclined  to  make,  and  ready  to 
answer  inquiries.  It  was  a  great 
relief  to  his  anxious  mind  to  find 
his  young  friend  so  well  prepared 
for  the  worst  and  most  probable 
issue.  Soon  after  the  funeral,  he 
wrote  the  following  letter : 

"During  the  early  part  of  Thomas 
C.  PauPs  last  illness,  in  which  it 


REMARKS  BY  HIS  PHYSICIAN.      213 

was  my  lot  to  attend  him,  he 
spent  much  of  his  time  in  reading. 
History,  I  think,  was  his  favour- 
ite study;  particularly  sacred  his- 
tory, from  his  knowledge  of  which, 
many  a  man  of  intelligence  might 
have  derived  much  useful  instruc- 
tion. 

''His  fortitude  and  patience  dur- 
ing his  long  and  painful  affliction, 
surpassed  any  thing  I  have  ever 
witnessed.  When  his  kind  and 
affectionate  parents,  whom  he  so 
tenderly  loved,  would  bend  over  his 
rapidly  wasting  frame,  or  even  enter 
the  room  with  desponding  looks,  he 
would,  though  suffering  much  him- 
self, cheer  them  with  his  sprightly 
voice. 

"  Often,  very  often,  have  I  heard 


214  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

him  say  to  his  fond  mother,  'My 
mother,  don^t  look  so  sad.  I  am 
no  worse.'  Truly  may  it  be  said, 
that  though  but  a  child  in  years, 
and  on  his  death-bed,  yet  was  he 
the  constant  comforter  of  his  dis- 
tressed parents  and  friends. 

"During  his  illness,  the  time  ar- 
rived when  his  father's  business 
usually  called  him  to  the  North. 
Thomas  knew  it.  And  though  it 
was  evident  that  it  would  cause 
him  a  great  struggle  to  be  sepa- 
rated from  that  dear  father  whose 
presence  never  failed  to  cause  the 
smile  to  play  upon  his  pale  coun- 
tenance, yet,  strange  as  it  may 
appear,  he  insisted  upon  his  going, 
saying,  that  duty  must  not  be 
sacrificed  to  pleasure,  that  his  hea- 


REMARKS  BY  HIS  PHYSICIAN.      215 

venly  Father  and  his  mother  would 
take  care  of  him  dming  his  ab- 
sence. 

''His  medicines,  however  nau- 
seous, were  taken  without  a  mur- 
mur. But  such  was  his  abhorrence 
of  ardent  spirits,  from  which  he 
had  always  abstained,  that  when, 
from  his  rapidly  declining  strength, 
it  was  thought  advisable  to  pre- 
scribe it,  he  at  first  positively  refused 
to  take  it,  saying,  that  he  would 
take  any  thing  else.  He  finally 
yielded  to  the  urgent  entreaties  of 
his  parents  and  friends. 

''The  necessary  pain  attending 
the  dressing  of  his  abscess,  he  bore 
with  fortitude  far  beyond  his  years ; 
particularly  when  that  task,  as  was 
generally  the  case,  was  performed 


216  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

by  the  tender  hands  of  his  beloved 
mother.  When  finally  he  was  told, 
that  in  all  human  probability  he 
had  not  long  to  live,  so  far  from 
being  depressed,  he  became  more 
cheerful  than  usual. 

''One  morning,  in  the  passage,  I 
met  his  father,  who  told  me  that  he 
had  just  communicated  to  his  son 
the  sad  intelligence.  What  was  my 
astonishment  on  entering  his  room, 
a  few  moments  after,  to  find  him 
in  the  most  calm  and  cheerful  mood. 
In  a  sweet  and  almost  heavenly 
tone,  he  repeated  to  me  what  his 
father  had  said,  and  asked  me  if  I 
thought  so  too. 

*'  Not  answering  him  immediately, 
he  entreated  me  not  to  be  afraid  to 
tell  him,  saying,  that  death  and  the 


REMARKS  BY  HIS  PHYSICIAN.     217 

grave  had  no  terrors  for  him,  save 
that  of  a  momentary  separation 
from  his  parents  and  friends.  When 
I  told  him  that  I  feared  his  father's 
communication  was  but  too  true, 
he  spoke  in  the  most  beautiful 
strains,  and  with  perfect  composure, 
of  the  mercies  of  a  redeeming  Sa- 
viour, and  of  the  joys  of  that  sweet 
heaven  where  he  would  soon  again 
meet  his  father  and  mother,  and  all 
those  who  love  God. 

"He  repeated  several  most  ap- 
propriate passages  of  Scripture  in 
confirmation  of  Christ's  love  for 
those  w^ho  seek  him  early.  From 
that  time  he  spoke  much  of  death, 
of  a  future  state,  and  of  a  full  as- 
surance that  he  w^ould  dwell  for 
ever  with   Jesus   and  the    angels. 

19 


218 


THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 


For  some  eight  or  ten  days  previous 
to  his  death,  I  was  unavoidably 
separated  from  him." 


.^^-^^ 


REMARKS  BY  HIS  PASTOR.         219 


LETTER  XXIX. 

REMARKS    UPON    HIS    CHARACTER    BY  HIS 
PASTOR. 

My  dear  James, — From  his  ear- 
liest years  Thomas  frequently  saw 
ministers  of  the  gospel  in  his  fa- 
ther's family.  He  was  remarkably 
attentive  to  their  instructions.  How 
often  since  the  days  of  the  Shunam- 
ite,  who  provided  the  little  chamber 
on  the  wall  for  Elisha,  has  the 
blessing  of  God  descended  upon  the 
children  of  those  who  have  enter- 
tained His  servants.  His  pastor, 
the  Rev.  H.  B.  Cowles,  in  kindly 
furnishing  the  following  testimony, 
may  be  regarded  as  expressing  the 


220  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

common  sentiments  of  many  cler- 
gymen : — 

''This  lovely  and  most  interesting 
youth  bore  his  painful  afflictions,  of 
fourteen  weeks'  continuance,  with 
that  patience  which  would  have 
been  becoming  in  a  matured  Chris- 
tian. For  several  weeks  preceding 
his  death,  he  was  entirely  satisfied 
of  his  acceptance  with  God,  and 
the  evidence  which  he  gave  of  a 
change  of  heart  was  conclusive  to 
his  parents,  and  to  those  friends 
who  heard  his  conversation,  and 
witnessed  his  patient  resignation. 

"About  two  weeks  before  his 
departure,  when  he  was  supposed 
to  be  dying,  his  father  knelt  at  his 
bed-side  and  asked,  ''My  son,  does 
your  heavenly  Father  accept  you?'' 


REMARKS  BY  IIIS  PASTOR.        221 

Being  unable  to  speak,  lie  promptly 
nodded  assent,  and,  sweetly  smiling, 
gave  assurance  that  all  was  well. 

''At  another  time  he  said,  he  did 
not  desire  to  recover ;  that  he  read 
in  the  Bible  that,  when  king  Heze- 
kiah  was  sick,  he  prayed  to  be 
raised  up,  and  the  Lord  answered 
his  prayer,  and  added  to  his  life 
fifteen  years;  that,  after  this,  he 
departed  from  the  Lord ;  and  that, 
if  the  Lord  were  to  raise  him  up, 
he  might  do  so  too. 

''He  was  deeply  impressed  that 
he  was  not  his  own,  but  that  he  was 
bought  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Jesus.  His  favourite  passage  of 
Scripture  was  Eom.  xiv.  8:  'Whe- 
ther we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord ; 
or  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the 

19* 


222  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

Lord ;  whether  we  live  therefore,  or 
die,  we  are  the  Lord's.'  When  in- 
formed that  he  would  die,  he  spoke 
of  the  happiness  which  he  would 
realize  in  meeting  in  heaven  with 
his  two  little  brothers,  who  had  died 
some  years  before. 

''He  frequently  told  his  friends, 
and  especially  his  afflicted  mother, 
not  to  weep  for  him.     Thomas  was 

certainlv  a  most  remarkable  youth. 

t/  »' 

No  one  who  ever  visited  his  father's 
house  could  be  otherwise  than  im- 
pressed with  his  manly  intelligence 
and  dignified  bearing;  for  though 
but  a  child  in  years,  he  would  often 
engage  in  conversation  on  serious 
and  important  subjects,  and  sustain 
himself  in   a   manner   that   would 


REMARKS  BY  HIS  PASTOR.        223 

have  been  creditable  to  one  of  ma- 
ture age. 

''He  was  fond  of  books,  and  de- 
voted to  his  studies,  and  thereby 
enriched  his  mind  with  useful  infor- 
mation. He  greatly  delighted  in 
administering  to  the  wants  of  the 
poor  and  distressed.  His  zeal  in 
the  cause  of  missions  was  remark- 
able, and  merits  the  highest  com- 
mendation. He  heard  the  gospel 
preached  with  great  attention,  and 
was  admired  for  his  obedience  to 
his  parents. 

''He  was  indeed  the  joy  of  the 
happy  family  circle  and  the  delight 
of  his  numerous  friends.  Fond 
hopes  had  been  cherished  of  his 
future  usefulness,  but  God  has  seen 
fit  to   take   him   to  himself;    and 


224  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

while  the  hearts  of  afflicted  parents 
and  endeared  relatives  and  friends 
bleed,  it  becomes  all,  in  submission 
to  the  Divine  will,  to  say,  '  The  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord/  " 

You  will  perceive,  my  dear  James, 
how  this  general  view  of  his  cha- 
racter corresponds  with  all  the 
accounts  which  you  have  heretofore 
received.  Owing  to  the  absence  of 
his  pastor  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
another  minister  preached  his  fune- 
ral sermon.  Unavoidably  absent 
myself  also,  I  learned  with  pleasure 
that  his  life  was  commented  on,  to 
an  unusual  concourse  of  sad  and 
sympathizing  citizens,  in  very  im- 
pressive and  appropriate  terms. 


TRIBUTE  TO  HIS  MEMORY.         225 


LETTER  XXX. 

RESOLUTIONS  PASSED  AT  HIS  DEATH. 

My  dear  James, — It  has  already 
been  mentioned  that  Thomas  was 
the  youngest  member  of  a  debating 
association,  called  ''The  United 
Fraternity."  In  that  society,  the 
benevolence  of  his  heart,  his  powers 
in  argument,  and  his  pleasing  man- 
ners had  appeared  to  great  ad- 
vantage. Soon  after  his  death  was 
announced,  the  society  met,  and  in 
all  the  solemnity  of  so  mournful 
an  occasion,  paid  the  following 
tribute  to  his  memory. 

"At   a  meeting   of   the   United 


226  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

Fraternity  Debating  Association, 
held  for  the  purpose  of  taking  in 
consideration  the  death  of  the  late 
Thomas  C.  Paul,  a  member  of  the 
society,  and  a  student  of  the  Peters- 
burg Classical  Institute,  it  was 
unanimously 

''  Eesolved,  That  it  is  with  profound 
sorrow  we  view^  the  dispensation  of 
God's  providence,  which  has  de- 
prived our  body  of  an  interesting 
and  highly  valued  member,  and 
w^hich  has  removed  from  the  bosom 
of  the  community  an  individual  in 
whom  were  so  eminently  united  the 
qualities  and  capacities  which  dig- 
nify and  adorn  the  social  sphere. 

^'Eesolved,  That  it  becomes  us, 
as  rational  and  immortal  beings,  to 
bow   with   humble   resignation,    in 


TRIBUTE  TO  HIS  MEMORY.        227 

view  of  this  afflicting  dispensation 
of  Divine  providence,  and  relying 
on  the  promises  of  his  word,  and 
the  hopes  it  inspires,  devoutly  to 
say,  'Thy  will,  0  Lord,  be  done.' 

''Eesolved,  That  we  deeply  sym- 
pathize with  the  afflicted  family  of 
the  deceased ;  and  that  we  earnestly 
and  unitedly  trust,  that  in  theit 
distressing  bereavement  they  may 
be  sustained  by  the  rich  and  en- 
dearing consolations  of  the  gospel; 
and  be  enabled,  by  the  Spirit  of  all 
grace,  to  yield  an  humble  and  filial 
submission  to  the  Divine  will. 

''Eesolved,  That  in  testimony  of 
our  affection  for  the  deceased,  and 
in  tribute  of  respect  for  his  memory, 
we  will  wear  the  usual  badge  of 
mourning,  for  thirty  days. 


228  THOMAS    C.  PAUL. 

''Eesolved,  That  a  copy  of  these 
resohitions  be  transmitted  to  the 
family  of  the  deceased,  and  to  each 
of  the  editors  in  Petersburg,  for 
publication. '^ 

The  above  resolutions,  after  being 
adopted  by  the  society,  were  read 
to  the  assembled  members  of  the 
Institute,  and  unanimously  adopted 
by  them,  and  then  published  in  the 
newspapers  of  the  town.  They 
were  the  spontaneous  effusions  of 
more  than  one  hundred  associates, 
many  of  whom  had  known  him  in- 
timately for  several  years. 

Some  of  them  were  seen  to  weep 
at  his  funeral ;  and  all  beheld,  with 
unfeigned  sorrow,  his  mortal  re- 
mains sink  into  their  narrow  rest- 
ing-place.    Above  that  sacred  spot 


TRIBUTE  TO  HIS  MEMORY.  229 

stands  a  marble  monument,  and  on 
its  side  the  device  of  an  open  Bible, 
with  an  appropriate  quotation  from 
its  sacred  page. 

But  these,  his  youthful  friends,  will 
need  no  sculptor's  aid  to  remember 
through  life  that  his  symmetrical 
character  was  moulded  under  the 
influence  of  Divine  grace,  by  the 
holy  precepts  of  the  Bible.  Many 
of  them  will  probably  speak  of  him, 
in  future  years,  as  having  been,  of 
all  their  acquaintances,  the  most 
remarkable  instance  of  early  excel- 
lence, as  having  been  singularly 
kind,  obliging  and  exemplary. 

I  will  close  this  letter,  my  dear 
James,  with  two  observations.  I 
do  not  remember  to  have  read  of 
any  one  under  fourteen  years  of  age, 

20 


230 


THOMAS   C.  PAUL. 


to  whose  memory  so  much  respect 
was  universally  paid  by  his  com- 
panions. The  youth  that  would 
have  such  friends  must  show  him- 
self friendly. 


X 


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1    1012  01041   0308 


